


All Things Taboo

by Theladylazarus



Category: Faking It (TV 2014)
Genre: COOPERFELD, F/F, So sue me, amen, i'm late to the party
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 07:27:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20671544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theladylazarus/pseuds/Theladylazarus
Summary: Lauren finds a page from Amy's journal that have her questioning way more than she expected. She's been playing the game by the rules long enough. Now, she may finally have a reason to throw caution to the wind.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Cooperfield is my guilty pleasure. Hope you enjoy all this taboo entertainment. I have future chapters written if anyone ever becomes interested.

Lauren honestly hadn’t given Amy two fucking thoughts until that damn journal entry. Did she realize she was hot? Sure. In a “could have done something with your hair, must you wear that doughnut shirt” kind of way. Lauren had already accepted her wavering sexuality, but just couldn’t give this Austin sapphic hell hole the satisfaction of coming out. At least not now, she was too busy building her brand right now anyway. 

And then, that fucking journal. Amy’s incessant need to document all her damn feelings, urges, bleck, let’s just stop that there. She and Amy had just started getting close since the latest Karma shitstorm. It had started innocently enough. She just had to know about what Amy thought she was doing comparing her to Shane. 

She thought she had found it, in all the chaos of grabbing hands and papers of Amy’s journal. God, this school is full of nosy bitches, Lauren thought to herself. The irony of herself also scrambling amidst everyone was not lost on her. “Aha!” she yelled when she finally spied a piece of paper with Lauren scrawled across it at least four or five times and Shane’s at least twice before stuffing it into her bag as she scrambled to her feet. 

“Was that it?!” Shane grabbed the bag by a strap right off her shoulder. 

“Watch it!” Lauren snapped, snatching her bag back. Shane held tight to the other strap as he stared her down. He was not one to back down, even if it was Lauren Cooper.

“Listen,” He hissed. “I deserve to see it too, lets read it together!” He half reasoned, half pleaded. 

“Ugh. Fine.” Lauren grumbled, rolling her eyes. “Come on, let’s get out of this madhouse before these liberals get a little too liberal with their hands,” she spat. 

If she had realized what she was going to read, she’d probably had opted to read it alone. 

Lauren pulled out the crumpled paper, smoothing it out on the bench between her and Shane. 

_Would have never happened if I hadn’t gotten so mushy about us being sisters. I mean, sisters! Seriously! How did my brain go from yay sisters to wanting to fuck her? _

“Oh my God!” Shane snatched the paper closer to his face before turning his eyes to the small speechless blonde. 

“We shouldn’t read anymore.” Lauren managed, a little breathless as she stood.

“Are you kidding!” Shane’s wide eyes peered at her over the paper. He was right. There’s no way she could walk away without knowing everything that was on that paper. She sat down, swiftly, before she could change her mind. 

_This is just how it started with Karma. A dream here, a dream there, until it manifested into a feeling here, and a feeling there. And fuck! I could not go through that again. Maybe this time was a fluke though. I mean dream Lauren wasn’t anything like the real Lauren. Sweet, sensitive, sexy...nothing like the bossy, HBIC, brand obsessive girl not to mention stepsister. But it had felt so real. Climbing into her bed had felt so natural. Hell, touching her there had seemed so natural. How am I supposed to look at her now? Like I’m not picturing her without that top, her perfect hair a little tussled from my hands. Oh, God like I need another reason to be embarrassed. I have to tell Shane. He may be able to help me make sense of this. I wish I could tell him without being worried that he’d spill this too. Gay scouts honor my ass. _

She didn’t realize she was staring off into the distance, her mouth a little ajar, until Shane shook her shoulders frantically. “Earth to Lauren! Have you processed this?” He asked a little unnecessarily, given the situation and Laurens shock frozen face. “What the fuck are you going to do?”

“Wha, what do you mean? Also, get the fuck off me.” She stammered, then commanded, while she twisted out of his grasp on her shoulders.

A long shadow covered them as Amy appeared already speaking and obviously fuming. “I can’t fucking believe this! I mean, Karmas done a lot of shit. But this!” She crossed her arms and stood with her shoulders slightly hunched. Lauren’s panicked eyes darted from Amy’s to Shane’s, who still had one hand gripped to one her shoulders. 

Amy must have just realized the oddness of the situation before speaking again, this time worriedly. “What’s going on? You two look like you’ve seen a ghost. Or at least, came in third in a dancing contest” She added, trying to diffuse the tension she felt. Lauren felt her heart pounding as her mind spun to answer that question. 

“I’ve got to get going,” Lauren grabbed her bag and pushed passed Amy, leaving the pair taken aback and looking after her. 

“What’s gotten into her,” Amy asked, turning to Shane.

“Well, I’m sure it’ll get around anyway,” he stood and held out the crumpled journal entry. “But,” he caught her eyes before they flitted down to the paper. “this so does not count as breaking my gay scout’s honor.”

As soon as Amy glanced down at the paper and realized which entry it was, her breathing stopped involuntarily as she felt her stomach drop. “Fuck,” she whispered so quietly, Shane barely heard it. 

The rest of Amy’s day was a blur. Ignoring people who were reading her personal thoughts, watching Karma be ridiculous with Shavi. And then there was the secondary dread of having to face Lauren when she got home. 

When she was finally in front of Lauren’s door, reality came crashing down. She was going to have to face her, knowing Lauren knew about those dreams. With a shaking hand, she rapped on the door in three quick hard hits. Like ripping off a band aid she thought.

“Lauren! Come on! We need to talk. We can get through this. I’m…sorry?” She didn’t really understand why she was apologizing, but it seemed necessary. “Lauren! I…”

“Ugh!” Lauren opened the door so suddenly that Amy’s hand was still poised in the air mid knock. “Just chill out with the pounding already! And you don’t have to apologize for…” She gestured about vaguely, “dreaming about me, or whatever.” The last part was kind of grumbled out as she left Amy in the doorway to sit at her desk. 

“I don’t? I mean, I know that it was all…I guess I’m sorry for writing it all down?” Amy finished lamely with a frustrated sigh. “We’d just gotten so close and I was worried what happened with Karma was going to happen again and so I just thought purging my thoughts would help and”

“No. Just stop.” Lauren held her hand up at the command. She just sighed at Amy’s hurt expression before continuing. “It was your fucking journal Amy. You had every right to write… that. But fuck Karma for what she did.” Amy let out a relieved breath. She couldn’t even argue with her at this point. Lauren was right. Even she didn’t know how she and Karma could possibly get through this. 

“Just, tell me that this, this isn’t going to change anything.” Amy pleaded, crossing the room to sit on the edge of Lauren’s bed, all the while watching Lauren’s face anxiously. She seemed so small there, daintily folded legs underneath her desk, one of her hands holding her face as she tapped mindlessly on her computer. “Lauren,” Amy tried again after receiving nothing but a half hearted “hmm” at her first attempt. 

“Amy.” Lauren sighed tiredly before starting again. “Of course not.” Then after placing her well known smirk on her face added, “besides, can’t say that I blame you. One can only resist flawless skin and this libertarian brain.” She finished with an exaggerated hair flip. 

“Hah. Don’t forget extremely humble.” Amy managed a weak laugh. 

“Okay, but honestly, I… and also never to be referenced again,” she paused chewing the inside of her cheek, “was flattered and it was entertaining, maybe even a little tempting.”

“Wait. What?” Amy tried to sort her reactions laser fast. Offense that her personal turmoil was found entertaining one, and what the fuck did she mean by that two. “Let me get this right. Lauren Cooper tempted?” 

“I said never to be referenced again! God, does anyone in this house fucking listen!” With her usual icy wall back up between her and the rest of the world, Lauren spun back to her desk to furiously tap away on her laptop, leaving a stunned, speechless Amy on her bed. 

“Okay, got the message. I think.” Furrowing her eyebrows in confusion and frankly, questioning her sanity, she made her exit.

What Amy didn’t know was that on the other side of the door, it was Lauren with her head in her hands, questioning her everything. 

_Why the fuck did I say that? _ Lauren’s mind was replaying the afternoon scene by scene as she laid in her bed staring at the slow turn of the ceiling fan. 12:34 the clock read as she looked at it for the fifth time in the last hour. There was one scene, in particular, she was obsessing over. Probably, she thought, because she wanted to know how it played out in Amy’s mind. It had felt so natural, touching her there had felt so natural. How had she pictured it? Had she touched herself thinking about it? Her breath hitched as her hand sat tantalizingly on the edge of her bottoms. She had been sweet, sensitive, sexy. Not the bossy, HBIC…

Lauren snatched her hands back up to her face and groaned in annoyance. This was getting her all kinds of mixed up. 

After resolving to get to the bottom of this. This being, Amy’s feelings, her feelings, thoughts, all of it. She swung her legs over the bed and made her way through the bathroom to throw some cool water on her face to calm her nerves before standing before Amy’s door. Lauren hesitated, but then decided against knocking. She didn’t want the risk of being turned away considering her outburst that afternoon. Instead, cracked the door just an inch and whispered. “Amy?”

Amy turned over to peer towards her in the darkness. Lauren could see her features illuminated by the phone screen in her hand.

“Good, you’re still awake.” She strode into the room without invitation to stand at the edge of the bed, the only light coming from the small nightlight in the girl’s shared bathroom. 

“Yea. Too much happened today for me to turn my brain off, I guess.” Lauren took notice of the tiredness in her voice. The nervous energy that was present earlier seem to have dissipated, leaving behind someone who simply had to much weight on their shoulders. For a moment, she rethought her plan. 

“Listen.” Lauren began, but already caught the clip in her voice. She cleared her throat before starting again. So…as a disclaimer I’m taking back my never to be referenced again statement, BUT for the night only. Is that…cool?” She said the words quiet and hushed looking intently at Amy’s face, trying to read her expression in the dark. 

“Um, okay.” She waved her hand over the free side of the bed beside her. Lauren sat down carefully, her body facing slightly away from Amy’s, a pinched, worried look on her face. 

“Look I meant what I said. I am sorry that I wrote about it. I didn’t mean to.”

Lauren held her hand up to cut her off, but Amy ignored her, “What did you mean when you said tempted?” The words left her lips in a rush, and she watched Lauren cast her eyes down before closing them when she finally spoke. Her words came out slow, like she was choosing each word carefully before saying them. 

“I meant that,” pause “that I was tempted to,” another long pause, “think about… it.” She gestured with her hands vaguely. After two long beats she finally opened her eyes. 

“Think about?” Amy’s brows furrowed before realization spread over her face, “what I wrote.” She was nodding her head and Lauren could feel that nervous energy from earlier build again from the other girl. 

“In an attempt to calm her she began trying to explain subtly, “I just, I wanted to know. In your dream you say I’m different, sweet,” she pulled in a breath and added quietly “sexy.” She licked her lips and looked to gauge Amy’s expression before continuing. That nervous energy was still there. “Wasn’t like the real me, bossy.” In air quotes complete with an eye roll, she added “head bitch in charge.” And I guess I want to know…if that’s really how you see me.” Her voice had gotten so much quieter, and momentarily she couldn’t help but wonder how Amy could sleep in such quiet, without even the comforting hum of a fan in the room. She was sure her heartbeat was audible. 

Amy didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she tentatively took one of Lauren’s hands in her own and laced their fingers together.  
“Lauren, I never thought I’d find another best friend besides Karma. And then, I got you. And yea, you’re bossy.”

Lauren huffed, turning her face away, but Amy squeezed their laced fingers. “But that’s not a bad thing. You know what you’re doing, and you do your best running the show.” Amy paused until Lauren had turned back to face her. “And I know you can be sweet, its just you keep your wall up to those around you.” She took notice of Lauren’s still downcast eyes, the vulnerability suddenly noticeable. Amy found herself rubbing small circles of the back of her hand in an effort to sooth the smaller girl. 

“I know, I know I do that.” Amy noticed the uncertainty in her eyes that was so uncommon and didn’t seem to fit quite right on the face of Lauren Cooper. 

“So, are we okay?” Amy questioned. 

“Yea, well almost. There’s still one more thing.” Amy felt her stomach tighten. 

“What’s that?” Her question quivered with nervousness. Considering the questions Lauren’s asked, there can only be one other thing she may want to know about. 

“You wrote that, well, that dream me is sexy.” Lauren was feeling extra aware of their intertwined hands. Amy untangled them and twisted her hands nervously in her lap. 

“Oh. Hah, that. Well I mean of course you’d be sexy, I mean it was a sex dream,” Amy said pointedly with an awkward shrug of her shoulders. When she saw Laurens wide eyes, she faltered. “I mean sex-y dream. Like girls doing sexy things, so you’d…you’d be…were… sexy,” she stammered, unable to meet Lauren’s gaze again. 

“But that’s not the “real me” right?” Those damn air quotes again. “That’s what you said, the real Lauren isn’t anything like that.”

“I mean, do I think so? Yea, I mean no.”

“No?” Lauren tried to follow the garbled answer.

“I mean, I wouldn’t know how you were in that…situation.” Her answer fell flat. 

“This situation, in which, I am sexy…what happened?” This was it, she had to know what Amy had thought, had to know what she’d felt the need to write about. She didn’t care if it was awkward or if she was slowly outing herself. She just had to know. 

“The dream?” Amy asked incredulously. 

At that moment, the room was suddenly too bright and both girls had to blink a few times to adjust. 

“Now what are y’all doing up? I bout had a heart attack when I saw your empty bed, Lauren.” Farrah was standing in the doorway, still looking made up with the perfect up-do even though it was the middle of the night. 

“Mom, you’re not our warden. You don’t have to check our beds.” Amy’s voice had that flit to it that it always had when she addressed Farrah.

“Oh, honey, you’ll understand when you’re a mom. You never stop worrying about your girls.” She smiled looking at Lauren, it was Farrah’s way of making sure that the girl know that she considered her one of her girls. 

“You’re sweet Farrah. I just had a day and needed some…girl talk,” she felt the heat flooding her cheeks when she thought of that ‘girl talk,’ I’m actually really tired now. Goodnight Farrah.” She didn’t turn around again on her way to her room.

“Night!” Amy called out after her, noticing again how cold Lauren could be at the drop of a pin. How is it that Lauren could be this confusing and still manage to get under her skin?

She dreamed of Lauren that night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lauren inadvertently tests her boundaries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yea, so. Already had this written so decided to put it up on a whim. Enjoy!

“I just want to return the favor,” Lauren’s voice murmured next to her ear.

ERR. ERR. ERR. Amy’s alarm blared intrusively.

When Amy snapped her eyes open there was still a lingering image of a breathless, naked Lauren hovering above her.

“Oh my God!” Amy placed her hands over her eyes as if she could hide from her embarrassment. She still couldn’t quite shake the feeling even an hour later when she was staring down into her bowl of Wheaties.

Lauren strode into the living room, her hair perfectly straightened, not a wrinkle in sight. “Morning Farrah,” she took her place across Amy while grabbing a piece of toast from the stack. “Amy, sleep well? Good dreams?” She asked mischievously with a hint of a subtle smirk on her lips as she dragged the small square of butter across the bread.

“Ha ha.” Amy rolled her eyes in a way she hoped feigned nonchalance.

“What’s she talking about honey? You haven those night terrors again? You haven’t had those since you were a little girl.” Farrah looked over at Amy, her forehead wrinkling in concern.

“Well they’ve definitely had you tossing and turning, and I can hear you from my room,” Lauren said casually taking a bite of toast. Amy caught herself staring in shock, mouth slightly open.

“Oh dear, you need to cut out the dairy before bed baby.” Farrah touched Amy’s shoulder affectionately.

“Yea, sure.” Amy stood, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “I’m gonna catch the bus,” she grumbled leaving the table.

“Wait, I was driving us to school.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Amy was already out the door and didn’t give Lauren a second glance.

  


“Ugh. Don’t tell me you and Lauren are feuding too,” Shane said placing his lunch tray beside Amy’s.

“No. At least I don’t think so. It’s just been…” Amy reflected on the past days' events before finishing, “weird.”

“Hmm. Well, weird is to be expected.” He took a bite of his apple. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

Amy tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, serving him the best 'really' face she could manage.  
“Okay, I get it,” he said exasperated. “Oh look, here comes the ice queen now.” Amy’s head snapped up at the comment and instantly located Lauren in the entrance way to the lunchroom. She had managed to avoid her most of the day, but as soon as she saw her their eyes locked and Lauren beelined it straight to their table. 

“Oh, shit,” Amy whispered trying to gather her things. But before she could even lift her butt off the seat Lauren slammed her hand down in front of her.

“Uh, uh.” She said waving her finger. “Not this time. We have to talk.”

Amy pulled in a big breath, “oohhkay. What’s up?”

“That means you can go now,” she shot one of those smiles toward Shane.

“Was just leaving,” Shane stood but added to Amy, “don’t get hypothermia.”

“I can hear you!” Lauren rolled her eyes and sat next to Amy. “What’s up is you avoiding me all day.”

“I haven’t been avoiding you…I’ve just been busy,” she finished lamely. Lauren pursed her lips together and gave Amy the' I’m not falling for this bullshit look.'

“Try again.”

“Okay. Okay. I have been, but it’s been weird. I can’t deal, okay? That’s why I had to leave this morning. Weirdness.”

“It’s only going to be weird if we make it weird. I was just picking this morning.” Truthfully, Lauren loved watching Amy squirm this morning, but she was definitely not going to let Amy know that.

“Well, you sure didn’t mind making it weird last night.” This time it was Lauren’s turn to be taken aback. But before she could respond, she was interrupted by Karma who had finally spied the two blondes for the first time that day.

“Ready to apologize yet?” There was a full count of three with Amy staring with furrowed brows before she had even registered exactly what Karma was talking about. She had been so engrossed in this drama with Lauren, that she had managed to forget about this episode of Karmageddon.

“Oh, go fuck off Ashcroft!” Lauren had both palms flat against the table and was leaning across the table with narrows eyes that could have frozen fire.

“Amy! You’re seriously going to hide behind the ice queen?”

Amy rolled her eyes and grabbed her satchel loosely, her shoulders sagging from the day’s drama. “Ya know, I’m actually kind of officially over this,” she grumbled and pushed past the fuming Lauren and confused Karma still poised as if ready to lunge at any minute.  
As soon as she was past, “Amy!” Both girls turned and shouted in unison.

  


Now it was Lauren’s turn to stand and stare at Amy’s door nervously trying to figure out what to do. She gave Amy space that afternoon and had hoped she would’ve at least come down for dinner, but with no such luck.

“Amy?” She knocked softly.

“Go away,” but Lauren caught the hitch to her voice and pressed the door slightly open. She saw Amy on her bed, arms wrapped around her knees that were drawn to her chest. With her head down and blonde hair spilling forward, Lauren couldn’t help but think of how small and frail she seemed at that moment. When Lauren softly touched her shoulder, Amy lifted her head to reveal the watery eyes that always gave away the cry that someone’s already had.

“I’m sorry about this morning.” Lauren started, but Amy cut her off.

“It’s not that. It’s this whole feud with Karma. And I just want my friend back.” Amy sniffled.  
Lauren fought down every sarcastic, eye roll nerve of her being, “Okay, look. I get it. You and Karma are… “best friends.” She slightly choked on the finish, “and, you always will be.” She managed to finish a little more softly. “But,” she to locked eyes briefly, “she just always seems to hurt you.”

“She doesn’t mean to,” another sniffle.

“Sure about that?” Lauren caught the sharpness in her voice after seeing the hurt look in Amy’s face. “Sorry," Lauren grumbled quietly. The girls sat still in the quiet before Amy broke the silence, resting her chin on her knee she turned toward Lauren. 

“You know you still mean a lot to me too? Even when there isn’t a Karamageddon going on,” she gave Lauren a meaningful look that she hoped conveyed the honesty she felt in the statement.

“Promise?” Her question came out more gruff than she’d meant for it too. Amy laced their hands and gave a reassuring squeeze that made Lauren finally lift her gaze before answering.

“Of course,” she spoke the words so softly they were barely a whisper. There was a sudden electricity between them. Lauren glanced between their laced fingers to Amy’s face, her lips. There was a hesitation as Lauren weighed her options. Here was a gorgeous girl in front of her, who she knew for a fact, liked girls. Who had subsequently written about certain dream experiences, with her. But did that mean she wanted to kiss her? The real her?

Amy was going down her own rabbit hole of thoughts. Lauren had said she’d been tempted. That she had thoughts too. But what did all that mean? Oh, god, were they going to kiss? Was she going to get slapped?

In the end, it was Lauren who finally closed the gap between them. Pressing her lips full against Amy’s for just a moment. At first, Amy didn’t respond, but after a beat couldn’t stop responding. The second she parted her lips and began to move them against Lauren’s she felt heat grow in the bottom of her stomach. Lauren unlaced their fingers to cup Amy’s face, then move around to grab a fistful of Amy’s hair at the nape of her neck as she deepened the kiss. _ Of course she’d need to be in charge of this too, _ Amy thought hazily somewhere in the back of her mind. But she was distracted by that heat rising in intensity to become a throb and then moving south.

Lauren easily swung a leg over her lap, straddling her while never breaking the kiss. Amy moved her hand from the girl’s hip to feel the soft skin just above the seam of her jeans. Suddenly, she realized the pattern against her lips had changed, and another second to realize Lauren was speaking.

“We should stop.” It was breathless, a murmur against her lips.

“Why?” She murmured back, following suit by speaking into her lips rather than breaking the kiss. Lauren pulled back, but Amy followed, reluctant to let the kissing stop. She then felt the gentle pushing on her shoulders. When they finally did separate, Amy opened her eyes and was surprised to see the dream Lauren in front of her. Or at least it was the real Lauren looking exactly like the one from her dreams; breathless, lipstick slightly smudged, hair just a little tousled. 

Lauren licked her lips while still hovering over the panting, taller blonde. Amy could practically see the reality realization as it happened in Lauren’s suddenly wide eyes. It seemed as if Amy’s skin was fire and Lauren was off her and standing by her side covering her face with her hands. She could hear Lauren’s repeated mumblings of “oh god, what did I just do?”

Amy was still strewn across her bed, a look of shock from the sudden change plastered on her face. When she did finally start towards Lauren, whether to placate her or kiss her again she didn’t know. But Lauren held her hand out to stop her before she got close. “I just…didn’t mean,” she gestures with her hand towards the bed “that.”

“Okay, I know, that um.”

“You don’t know anything,” Lauren huffed as she turned on her heel to leave the room.

Amy thinks of a hundred things she wants to say, but not one of them seems warm enough to melt ice. So she does the only thing she knows how to do, she lets Lauren walk away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little...out of hand. Karma finds out next chapter as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, not very sure about ratings, but this is at least a strong M. You've been warned. Thanks to those who took the time to kudos/comment when I thought this fandom was probably long dead. :)

The next morning at breakfast, when Amy finally makes it downstairs, it’s Lauren who can’t make eye contact. She stares down at her cereal like it’s the most interesting thing in the world.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Farrah drawled while placing a hand on Lauren’s shoulder. “You haven’t been this quiet since you and Tommy broke up.”

Lauren’s eyes lift to Amy’s briefly before flashing away. “Just a lot on my mind. Being class president and generally amazing takes a lot of brainpower. Sometimes, I don’t even know where my mind’s at. It’s like I black out, seriously, I don’t even remember anything after dinner last night,” she chirps out the last sentence before flashing one of those infamous smiles. Lauren slings her bag over her shoulder and for a moment thinks she’s really going to get away with it. Right before Farrah calls out, “Honey, wait just a minute. I told you I’ve got a doctor’s appointment today. I need ya’ll to ride together.”

And Amy’s not quite so sure why that makes her smirk because god knows she feels just as awkward about the whole thing. But seeing Lauren’s deer in the headlights look is enough for her to push past the fleeting panic.

In the car, Amy tries to bring up what happened at least twenty times. But each time she started, she was cut off with a “Nope, uh uh, not happening.” At one point, Lauren actually reached over and pinched her, that’s right, pinched her. And that really shut her up.

When Shane finds her after third period, he starts immediately about the white party, and Amy really couldn’t care less until she hears, “Karma wants to apologize.”

And maybe she thinks just maybe all this shit really can go back to normal. Thankfully, she doesn’t see Lauren at lunch or Karma either, but she doesn’t quite know what to think about that.

When Lauren’s in bed that night, she thinks about the kiss. Well, not so much as she obsessives. Does she want to do it again. _Hell yes _answers back, and the whole thing is so annoying she actually groans into her pillow. A soft knock interrupts her self wallowing, and she doesn’t have time to think about whether she’d rather it be Farrah or Amy on the other side.

“Come in,” she says quietly. Amy appears, her eyes a little bleary, and she’s twisting her hands together in that nervous way she does. “Still not fucking talking about it. Because a pinch is just the start.” And she realizes how it sounds when she notices a smirk on Amy’s lips.

“Okay, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

“Did you?” Amy asks playfully, and Lauren laughs a little in spite of herself. And for once she’s glad she’s said something stupid because it breaks some tension.

“Are you just going to stand there all night?”

“Well, I didn’t want to risk the pinching.” But she still crosses the room and sits at Lauren’s feet on the small expanse of bed. Lauren shifts, so she’s sitting up and hugging her knees. Lauren notices how Amy’s let her hair flow down tonight instead of the loose bun she usually wears to bed. She even lets her mind wander briefly to how her green eyes capture her blue ones. “We wanted to kiss each other.” She says simply. Her wondering mind betraying her thoughts.

“Wow, good job detective. Figure that out when I was on top of you?” She rolls her eyes, but Amy’s gaze is steady.

“Do you want to kiss me now?” Her voice is low, but she smiles when she asks. Lauren is grateful for that small, slight smile that helps ease her nerves. Even still, she can feel her heart beating hard in her chest.

“Maybe,” she answers, licking her lips unconsciously.

That’s all the affirmation Amy needs as she shifts onto her hands and crawls over Lauren, forcing her to stretch out her legs, and Lauren only has a moment to think about how sexy it looks when someone’s crawling toward you before she’s right in front of her. Amy pauses before making contact, glancing down at her lips and back at her eyes. It’s a second of breathing the same air, and then Lauren’s kissing her. It’s slow only for a count of three seconds, and when she opens her mouth for more, Amy’s tongue is in, and it feels instantly amazing. Lauren’s breathing hard, and she inhales in through her nose, not daring to break the kiss. And when Amy rests her whole body weight against her, she tangles her hands in Amy’s hair. She’s moving her lips more fiercely and lets her hands drift to Amy’s hips, feeling the soft, thin fabric of her pajama bottoms. More, Lauren thinks hazily. All this touching. It’s fucking intoxicating. Lauren moves her hand to the back of Amy’s thigh, gripping it tightly, and it earns her a small sound from Amy and god does she want her to keep making that sound. She decides to test the waters and graze her nails up the other girl’s thigh and even underneath her shorts, just grazing the bottom of her ass. For a moment, she thinks she’s gone too far when Amy pulls back with a gasp.

“S…sorry,” Lauren snatches her hand away. “too far?” She breathes, more than asks. Amy just shakes her head, causing some loose strands to fall forward. But Lauren’s thinking that maybe it was too far because Amy’s shifting away, but then she returns, and Lauren doesn’t miss the deliberate position of one of her legs in between hers when she presses her lips down against hers again.

The kiss quickly becomes as heated as before, and Lauren feels that familiar ache in her center. She lets her hands roam from under Amy’s shirt and up her sides, and when Amy moans lightly into her mouth, it’s what Lauren will decide later that causes her to lift her hips to connect to Amy’s thigh. And god, that pressure is right where she needs it. Lauren groans, and her nails dig into Amy’s sides.

Amy breaks the kiss to place wet open mouthed kisses down Lauren’s jaw, and when she kisses Lauren’s neck and nips there it drives Lauren’s hips back up and harder into Amy’s bare thigh. Before her hips return to the bed, she feels Amy’s hand on the back of her thigh, pulling her center into her, and Lauren groans at the contact, grinding her hips into Amy’s leg. Amy lowers her center on the leg that Lauren rises for her and the moan that leaves her lips is so delicious that her hands drop to Amy’s hips. “Move,” Lauren gasps out, and Amy is already grinding down on Lauren’s leg while pushing rhythmically into her.

There’s still a shred of logic in the back of Lauren’s mind. And that logic is asking questions, like what is going to happen in the reality moment after all this and if this is going to stop it needs to be soon. But then she hears her name in between the panted breaths, her name breathlessly pulled from Amy’s lips.

“Lauren…” Amy’s breath is hot in her ear, and she knows she’s fucking wet. And god, this contact feels so fucking _ good._ It’s not like when she’s with herself, imagining another person, because the way Amy is creating friction exactly where she needs it to be is all she needs to tell that last shred of logic to fuck off.

“Oh, yes,” she gasps and apparently that’s all Amy needs to hear to tell her own logic to fuck off too because in swift motion she removes her leg and Lauren only misses the contact for a moment then Amy’s back, and she grabs her thighs and hooks them around her hips. Lauren’s legs instinctively wrap around the taller girl’s body. She leans down to grab Lauren’s bottom lip in between her own while she pushes her hips into Laurens now throbbing center. She gasps, and then Amy’s at her ear and asks quietly, “Is this okay?”

“Yes.” It’s barely a whisper, and so does not do it justice to just how _okay _it is, so she adds “keep going,” in an unexpectedly low and husky voice that she barely recognizes. Amy is sucking on that spot where her neck meets her shoulder and god does she just want to flip them over because she needs to get off, but also doesn’t want Amy to stop doing_ that._

She wraps an arm around Amy’s neck while her other hand is digging into Amy’s side. Amy’s movements have found a rhythm, and those grunts she makes as she pushes against Lauren are the sexiest noises she thinks to herself. Lauren can’t believe that this feels this good even with their clothes blocking skin to skin contact, and this dry humping definitely isn’t _dry. _

She notices how Amy’s hand has a fistful of the comforter, and she’s moving more frantically against her and _shit _she’s going to get off just by_ this _as she decides that this is so deliciously sexy and wants Amy to know.

Amy’s breathing is ragged, and Lauren moves her hands to Amy’s ass, encouraging her to drive harder against her as she moans into her ear, timing each word so that it’s punctuated with a thrust. _“don’t. fucking. stop.” _

Amy all but growls over her, and it’s so animalistic that Lauren throws her head back, feeling a sharp, precise pain above her collar bone and then the realization hits her that Amy is_ biting _her as her thrusting is pounding into her. Amy barely manages to choke out a quiet_ “fuck,” _and Lauren is sure her panties are soaked.  
Amy collapses on top of her, trembling and panting, and Lauren’s only thinking of how insanely hot it had been even with all the barriers their clothes created.

Later, Lauren will deny it happened this way, but in the moment, it was shameless. She’d only given Amy moments to recover before taking Amy’s hand in hers and guiding it down her body under her shorts and then inside her underwear. 

Amy gasps when she feels all the wetness at her fingertips. Lauren wills words to come from her mouth, but nothing does. Instead, her hands will tangle themselves in Amy’s hair of their own accord, and she’ll whimper a very uncharacteristically “please,” and from Lauren’s lips, it still sounds like a command.

Amy explores her insides finding a rhythm in turn with Lauren’s soft moans and even though Lauren’s concentrating on not finishing so soon she comes fast and hard, and Amy probably enjoys way too much the feeling of the way Lauren will grab so hard at her sides it almost hurts and groans out an “oh my fucking god” against Amy’s neck before shuddering and finishing.

Even after Amy’s removed her hand, they still laid together next to each other, arms wrapped loosely around one another with their foreheads just touching. When their heartbeats are slowed, and breathing’s returned to normal, Amy is the first to speak, “that was…”

“Good,” Lauren finishes quietly. Any Amy’s about to question “just good,” but then she looks down at Lauren’s face with her widened eyes and parted swollen lips, and she doesn’t have to ask. She knew Lauren meant _good._

“You should probably go back to your bed,” Lauren interrupts her thoughts. “You know, in case of the warden, Farrah?” Amy mentally winces. She had been momentarily able to block out that her mom was just half a house away and could have easily been on the other side of the door. The panic that thought causes has her forgetting about the possible connotations associated with Lauren shooing her to her own bed.

“Yea, you’re right,” Amy says, propping herself up on her elbows. She hesitates to wonder if a chaste kiss is even appropriate after the events transpired, and she all but decides to just let what happened be, but Lauren’s hand on her cheek stops her. Lauren presses her lips against hers, and it’s softer than any kiss they’ve shared, but it rocks Amy’s world a little harder.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a storm a brewing, and it's not just the one outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned out insanely long, because I promised Karma finding out and realized several things had to happen before that but refused to not put it in this chapter. Enjoy!! 
> 
> Thank you for any kudos, comments! It motivates me to keep putting this up even though the it's idk, "old news?"

Amy sleeps past her alarm the next morning but wakes to the shrill ringing of her phone. Groggily, she answers a sleepy hello without glancing at the ID to who she assumes will be Shane. When she hears Karma's sheepish reply, she shoots up ramrod straight in her bed. "K..Karma?"

"I know. Oh, god Amy, I'm so sorry! About, well, everything!" She's been waiting on Karma's apology for weeks, but now she's got it, it's just a movie reel of all the embarrassing shit she went through when Karma released her journal. She feels the anger from that fact begins coursing through her veins, but just as soon as it starts, it dissipates. If Karma hadn't released her journal, she and Lauren wouldn't have…well, done that. She feels the red, hot blush take over her face when she remembers being on top of Lauren…Lauren, who just last night was wrapping her legs around her hips and…

"Amy? Are you there?"

"Uh, yea. Sorry. I hear you Karma, but"

"No buts! Please, we're_ best friends,_ I'd do anything to make it up to you. I really need you, annndd I have donuts…" Karma sing songs into the phone.

Amys's heart lurches, whether it's the promise of _anything _or donuts specifically, she's not sure. 

"Okay, okay. I'll be there. Bus stop in twenty." Whether Amy's sure about forgiving her, she's not sure. But the possibility of having her best friend for the latest change of events has her hoping she can.  
She dresses quickly and is flying downstairs, almost colliding with her mom in the kitchen. 

"Honey, grab something to eat. Now I think skinny looks good on you, but you know what they say about brains needing fuel."  


"Karma's got donuts, taking the bus," Amy replies quickly before snatching her bag from the hallway quickly. But it's the blonde sitting at the table with a cocked eyebrow stops her in her tracks.  


"Karma, huh? I'm sure that'll turn out _great._" She drawls out the last word before flashing a smile. "have fun on the cheese wagon." Lauren stands, turns on her heel, and starts toward the door.

Suddenly the images of last night intrusively push to the forward of Amy's brain as she stands agape at the door. The _ gasps, panting, her hands in between…_

"You two are so hot and cold these days." Farrah has the same worried crease in between her brows that Amy occasionally has, her curls bouncing with each concerned shake of her head.

_You have no idea. _Amy thinks before falling suit behind Lauren. She thinks of calling out to Lauren when they're outside, but Lauren power walks to the car, and even if she had, Amy can't think of a single thing she'd have said. 

On the bus and for at least two periods, Amy pulls it off. Karma gabs about Liam and what to do next, and Amy interjects where she thinks is appropriate with a yep and mhm. 

She_ is_ excited about her and Karma being good again, _really. _But by the third period, Karma is done with the pretend best friend attempt and calls her out with an abrupt, "What the hell Ames?" Her fingers snap in front of Amy, and she realizes she's dazed off again. Amy sighs and puts her face in her hands. 

"I kind of have something to tell you." She states simply, and she realizes she actually wants to tell the Karma, to get this thing off her chest. When Karma just looks at her quizzically, she continues, "I kind of made out with someone." She's twisting her hands again, and her voice kind of breaks on the words 'made-out' because damn that does not do it justice.

"What?!" Karma all but squeals and takes Amy's wrists in her hands. "Tell all! Who was it? Oh my god, was it Oliver? Ooh, I bet it was Madison from 5th period!"

"Madison? No, Why would it be Madison? Ugh, never mind." Amy shakes her head, trying to get back on track. 

"It was," but then she sees the devil herself with those quick strides marching towards them. 

"Lauren?"

"Lauren?" Karma repeats with that dumbfounded look on her face. But by now, Karma sees her too. "OH. Lauren." 

"OH. Karma." Lauren mocks back, now standing in front of the two. "Your mom called me. Somethings going on and she wants us home. ASAP." 

"What?" Amy stands up, alarmed. "Why didn't she call me, what's wrong?"

"Calm down. Maybe your signals low. Come on, I'll drive us, but we need to hurry. The weather's supposed to get bad." As if on cue, a thundering clap sounded overhead, and Amy looked up to the dark swirling clouds. 

"I'll text you later." Is all she leaves Karma with before trotting off after Lauren. 

They both ride in a tense silence, neither really sure of what to expect when they arrive home. The last thing they expect is Farrah having pulled out every piece of emergency equipment and first aid supplies in the house. Amy spoke over a box that held a bulky radio transmitter and least eleven flashlights to talk to her mom, "What is this? Are we prepping for mission work in Honduras?" 

"Sweetie, we need to be prepared. These high and low pressures can create f5 cat winds."

"Well, first of all, I don't know what any of that means, and second why is no one else worried about this storm?" Amy asked, exasperated. 

'Well. No one else has a meteorologist for a mom." Farah tightened her trench coat and kissed each girl atop her head. "I've got to go cover this. That's why I wanted you two home together safe. Stay away from glass if it does pick up, and I'll be back as soon as I can. Ya'll remember our safety plans."

And Amy sure did. Her mom had beat safety weather precautions into her head for as long as she could remember. "Love ya'll!" And with that, it was just Amy and Lauren alone, and Amy's mind immediately flashed yet again to the night before. 

When she looked up, Lauren was peering at her intently, but when their eyes met, she turned away quickly and began fiddling with the bulky radio. 

"Your mom's nuts," she says tuning the radio.

"I prefer prepared," replies Amy defensively as she already starts selecting a couple flashlights for them both. Thunder crashed loudly once more, and Lauren jumped. Amy clicks on the flashlight and highlights her face turning to her. "The world's spookiest story, the ice queen scared of a little thunder." Amy finished with a loud cackle. 

"Don't call me that," Lauren grumbled.

"Why, does it bother you?"

"Maybe, when you say it anyway," Lauren replies quietly, avoiding the taller girl's eyes. Before Amy can respond, another clash of thunder causes Lauren to jump closer to her, and they hear the rain began to pour as the lights flicker. "Well, fuck. Guess your mom was right."

Lauren had her hand wrapped around Amy's arm. And for a moment, she wishes she were the taller one. It would be so much easier, Lauren thinks, to lean down and kiss…

The girls are close, and the moment feels intense, but when the doorbell rings, it's so unexpected that they jump apart. "Who the fuck," Lauren says as she reaches the door first and opens it to a drenched Karma.

"Karma, what are you doing?" Amy pushes past Lauren to take Karma's arm to lead her to the kitchen, immediately grabbing a towel for her. 

"When I heard about the storm, I figured that's why your mom wanted you home. And I felt absolutely not safe in the friggin juice truck. Is this okay?" Her face looked so open and vulnerable that Amy only felt the pain of the loss of their friendship as she felt what was left of her walls crumble. 

"Of course. I wouldn't want you or the juice truck to end up Dorothy or Kansas style." They laughed together, and Amy lets herself enjoy the familiarity for a moment.

"And I'm dying to find out who this mystery partner is!" Karma squeaks while she flips her hair over to towel dry it. When she does, she misses the look between Amy and Lauren's wide eyes.

When Karma stands back up, she's still smiling. "Right. We do need to talk about that. C'mon, let's go to my room. I'll let you borrow some dry clothes. Be there in a minute, I'm helping get some supplies sorted."

After Karma leaves the two blondes, Lauren whirls around to face her. "You're going to tell Karma about…what happened?" Lauren whisper yells. 

"I…I just needed to tell someone. And Karma's my…"

"Best friend," Lauren interrupts. But she says it overly exasperated. Lauren runs her hands through her hair, and it strikes Amy that she's nervous. 

"Hey…" Amy says softly and touches Lauren's arm. "I won't tell her if you don't want me too. I mean, it is your secret too." But her stomach twist over that word, secret. It implied what had happened needed to be a secret because it was shameful. She figured Lauren must have had the same thought, the way her eyes held Amy's and her brow furrowed in deep thought. 

"Do you think she'd understand?" Lauren's question was just a breath. 

"I…I don't know," Amy replies honestly. "But I know Karma, and she'd always support me. Besides, was it even that big a deal, so what we had was a moment and… it went a little too far. One time." Amy's wringing her hands again, trying too hard to make this whole thing less than what it was. 

Lauren straightens her shoulders, rises on her tiptoes close to Amy's ear. "Do you really think that it isn't going to happen again?" She snakes a hand up Amy's back until they rake lightly against the nape of Amy's neck. She's not sure how her confidence is leading her, but damn she will not let what happened be the last time. She presses her lips against Amy's ear. 

Amy's shudders but comes crashing back to reality when she hears, "sharing secrets?" Karma asks awkwardly from the top of the stairs. At first, Amy freezes, but then realizes from Karma's angle it must look like Lauren was whispering in her ear. Lauren leaned back and smiled _that smile_ at Karma.

"Relax, no reason to pee on her leg yet." She sighs before turning away from them, letting her hand drop casually away Amy's face, so Karma doesn't notice the movement. " I'm gonna get some food started in case we lose power." With that, Lauren left, making sure to brush past Amy's side, touching her softly. 

When Amy and Karma are both sitting in Amy's room, It's Amy who is fiddling with the hem of her shirt and can't meet Karma's eyes.  
"Come oooonn." Karma drawls, "it can't be that embarrassing. Whoever it is that you can't even tell me?"

"I know, it's just. Ugh!" Amy puts her head in her hands. 

"Oh, God. It's not…it's, not Liam, is it?" Her voice cracks just a little.

"No! No. I wouldn't." But then Amy pause because well she_ had. _

"No, it's not Liam. You just, promise not to freak out?" Amy's eyes are pleading, and it scares Karama a little.

"Okay." Karama agrees, and she notices it sounds pained, with a sense of resolve to it like she's readying herself for the blow, Amy thinks. 

"Lauren." Amy says firmly realizing she wants to end Karma's internal plight, even if she does judge. At the admission, Karmas's head snaps up to meet Amy's downcast eyes. 

"Like, Lauren downstairs Lauren?" Amy just nods. "How did…when did." Karma's face is twisted into contorted confusion.

"I uh, had a dream, wrote it down in my journal, which she found." Karama groaned, again being reminded of the horrid thing she's done. "She came to me to talk about it, and then we…" Amy let the sentence fish itself.

"Since when was Lauren…" Karma starts, but apparently, they're both letting thoughts finish themselves.

"I don't really know, we haven't really talked about it."

There's a tense moment between them, but then Karma blows out a long breath and reaches out to place her hand over Amy's before speaking, "Well, I can't say that I understand, even a little bit."

"Me either, really, but you're still my best friend, and I had to talk about it."

Karma's nodding and opening her mouth to say something. But then the thunder decides their conversation is over and with a sudden clap the power is out and casts them on darkness. There's a girlish squeal from downstairs. Still grasping each other's hands, they stand and rush down the stairs.

They find Lauren struggling with a camping lantern and a very sad scene of a lasagna upturned on the floor. By the time she takes in the sight, she catches Lauren's gaze flitting to hers and Karma's intertwined hands. 

"Here, Lauren, let me help," Amy says as she drops Karma's hands already walking around the island.

"It's fine, I've got it," Lauren says through gritted teeth. 

"It's not like that," Amy whispers, touching her arm softly. She finds herself peering into Lauren's eyes, noting the unusual vulnerability in them being this close.

Karma's staring at random objects on the counter because the scene before her is so intimate and foreign it makes her uncomfortable in spite of herself. 

"Ugh! I'm already so over this fucking storm!" Lauren all but yells, snatching her arm away from Amy and grabbing a dishtowel angrily as she begins to clean. 

Amy sighs, thinking to herself about how quickly Lauren can shut people out and wonders if she'll ever be one that she doesn't. 

She's still caught up in her musings when Karma suggests a game.  
"At least, until the power comes back on." It works to break some tension, and Lauren huffs annoyingly but surprisingly agrees.

_"Fine. _Why the fuck not." She throws the dishtowels down on the table, "but when I win. You guys are cleaning this shit up."  
Amy laughs and rolls her eyes, mostly because she knows she'll let Lauren win, and she's not quite sure how to process that information.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, the next chapter has Karma staying the night during the storm and, well, let's just she awakes alone in Amy's room hearing some very _ interesting _ sounds.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What else do you do when you're pining for someone across the hall, but your best friend is sleeping over? You pull it off. Or get caught trying.

After a few rounds of cards and sneaking looks and yawns, the trio realized the probability of the power coming back on that night was low.

“Okay, I’ve entertained this long enough. I’m out. Goodnight.” Lauren climbs to her feet and tosses her cards to the center of the table. Amy opens her mouth, but can’t really think of what to say. It seems Lauren hesitates too for a moment before heading up the stairs.

“C’mon buttface, I’m tired too. And all this awkward air is just making it worse.” Amy hmmpfs as a response as Karma takes her wrist and tugs her to her feet, and Amy is thankful for the familiar feeling the move elicits.

When they’re snuggled in Amy’s bed, the quiet that’s created by the lack of power is deafening. The stars on the ceiling are dim tonight, lacking the solar influence they needed. She fixates on that thought, wondering how it applies to people too. There’s something else there, a lingering concept in the back of her mind that it somehow connects to Lauren, but then everything these last few days seem to.

Amy sighs, suddenly very tired from running mental circles all day. 

“Amy?” Karma whispers and twists onto her side.

“Mhm?” Amy mumble answers back.

“Do you think what happened with Lauren was a one time thing?” Karma is speaking quietly, but it still somehow feels like a yell.

“I don’t. I don’t really know.” Amy answers hesitantly, remembering Lauren’s whispered words in the staircase. Karma pauses, her hands picking idly at a thread in her bedspread. “Can I ask you something?” Amy just nods. “Did you like it?” Amy bites her lip, feeling embarrassed, and exposed.

“Yea.” She takes a deep breath, “I did.”

“Did she?” Karma is still peering at her intently, and Amy is thankful it’s probably too dark for her to see the blush heating up her cheeks. When she thinks about if Lauren liked it, she thinks of Lauren moaning her name, gasping, guiding her hand…

“Yea, she did too.” Fearing it gave too much away, she adds quickly, “I think.”

“Hmm,” Karma says thoughtfully. Amy waits, wondering if she’ll say anything else. But before long, she recognizes the regulated deep sleeping breaths.

She knows that she should just go to sleep, she’s tired, it’s almost midnight, and Lauren’s probably already asleep anyway. But her mind thinks intrusively about that vulnerable look in her eyes, how she had looked at her and Karma's intertwined hands. _I have to talk to her. Just talk. _Her mind justifies her actions before carefully extracting her body from Karma’s sleeping form. She glances back to her, her lips just parted, auburn hair splayed across the pillow. _Beautiful,_ Amy thinks. She feels that familiar pang in her stomach. It’s so significant and unexpected she’s not even sure what caused it. Nerves? Guilt? She shakes her head like she can shake off the feeling before heading across the hall.

She debates about knocking but settles for a quiet tapping. When she receives no answer, she steps cautiously inside her door. “Lauren?” She whispers into the darkness, and the bed stirs lightly.

“Amy?” She crosses the room without asking, and Lauren scoots over reflexively to make room for her.

“Sorry if I woke you.” Whatever she had planned to say next is cut off by Lauren’s lips on hers. The kiss is hot, rushed and Laurens hand is tangled in her hair before she even realizes it. Lauren pulls back, ending the kiss as abruptly as she started it to mutter into her lips, “I was waiting forever.” She goes back in to capture Amy’s lips, gentler this time, but with no less passion.

Amy’s mind reels, and yes, she had come to _talk._ But god, when Lauren’s pulling tight against her body like this it’s like everything else just fades away. She pulls Lauren into her lap, and the gasp it gets her from the smaller girl has her insides coiling with victory. She trails her hands down Lauren’s sides till the rest on her ass and she gives a deft squeeze. A loud thundering noise and flash of lighting illuminate the room momentarily and Lauren starts in Amy’s lap. “Shh. I’ve got you.” Amy mumbles into Lauren’s neck, finishing the statement with a kiss and nip that’s fierce enough to leave a mark. Maybe if she wasn’t distracted by the enthusiastic way Lauren’s hips roll when she does so, she would have thought about the repercussions it could earn her the next day. But those worries melt away like the raindrops on the window panes as they lose themselves in each other.

Karma wakes and immediately knows she’s alone in the room. _Power's_ still off. She thinks hazily when she takes note of the darkness under the bathroom door, assuming that’s where Amy is. She listens carefully, waiting to hear Amy reenter the room because frankly, between the darkness, the quiet, and the storm, it’s a tad creepy.

And when she does hear something,_ a thump, thump._ Her heart leaps in her chest when she thinks of an intruder. Then there’s a faint sound…a groan? _Thump. Thump. _Realization dawns on her suddenly, someone’s getting it on. Automatically, she thinks,_ oh god, Farrah. _But then, there’s a second realization. Lauren. Amy. Oh. God.

She covers her face with her hands like she can hide from this new information. There has to be another explanation. Sure, she took in what Amy revealed, but this? This, she is not digesting very well.

She doesn’t understand, let alone digest, and that’s what she’ll use as an excuse for what she’s about to do. Carefully, she crosses the room, and oh so quietly, she opens the door and steps into the shared bathroom where shes knows Lauren’s door would probably be open like it usually was. She’s holding her breath and telling herself things like, maybe they couldn’t sleep, and they’ve decided to rearrange her bedroom, or fighting, yes they’re probably fighting because that would make more sense than what those sounds are than the alternative.

But when she’s right outside the door. There is no question. Now she can hear the rhythm of the bed lightly tapping the wall almost perfectly in sync with two feminine voices, definitely making noises implying quite the opposite of fighting. They sound like they’re enjoying each other. _Very much._

Karma’s focusing on breathing quietly, but she’s biting her lip, and her brows are furrowed in a slight panic. Because somehow all of this is making less sense than before. She doesn’t even make the conscious decision to look. She just does… and damn.

The only source of light in the room is the small amount of moonlight not obscured by the rainclouds outside. It highlights the scene just so Karma can see. And what she sees is Lauren half on top of Amy, whose tank top is pushed up and bunched above her breasts, and one of Lauren’s hands has each of Amy’s in an iron-like grip above her head.

Her other hand is down between…_oh. _She’s also got her thigh pressed to the back of her hand and is rhythmically fucking into Amy, and now she can actually source of the_ thump, thump, groan._ She is absolutely sure she’s never seen that intense, focused look on Lauren’s face as she’s looking down at Amy. Or the one on Amy’s as her heads thrown back, neck taunt, and abs contracting underneath Lauren. She looks…absolutely _wrecked._

Karma gulps, eyes wide, and holds on to the siding of the door so hard her knuckles are white. She wildly thinks that _never_ has Liam Booker made her feel the way Amy looks right now. She somehow feels nauseous, turned on, and panicked all at the same time.

When she makes it back to the room, she’s shaking and just_ listening_ isn’t an option. She grabs the pillow and makes her way downstairs and lets the constant sound of rain wash away her feelings, and sometime later, she succumbs to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having too much fun writing these two, to just let this fic die a peaceful death. Cheers!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is no wrath like a Lauren Cooper scorned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It gets a bit angsty in this chapter. Hope you're down for the ride.

Amy wakes to the sound of Lauren clambering around her vanity and has several realizations at once. The first being that_ oh shit, that_ happened again. She can barely get her mind to move past the images of _that_ to get to her second realization that she’s slept over in Lauren’s room, and that’s definitely never happened before. And the third, “Oh crap!” She snatches off the blanket throwing her feet to the floor.

“God!” Lauren almost yells her straightener still poised in the air. “What?”

“I freaking abandoned Karma in my room last night!”

Lauren’s face does that thing whenever Karma is brought up. “So?” she questions.

“So! So, well I told her about us, and then I just leave… and.” She stops, realizing really, so what? Karma seemed to have taken it fine. “I’m just going to check on her is all.” She finishes, but Lauren looks less than impressed. So, she adds, “and look, powers back on. Waffles?” She offers Lauren a smile, but only receives narrowed eyes back.

But then it breaks as Lauren leans her head to the side and replies, “Fresh fruit on the side, please.” With that, she turns back to the mirror, complete with another long drawl of the tool through her hair. Amy gawks at her a moment, wondering if she’ll ever get the hang of all that’s Lauren Cooper.

She’s busy, hoping Karma’s still asleep and explaining her disappearance when she steps into her empty room. She’s confused for a second before spying a missing blanket and pillow. 

She mentally groans. There are only a couple logical reasons Karma wanted not to sleep next door to her and Lauren, and it has her blushing without an audience.

Downstairs, Karma is already up, and the waffle maker is beeping for attention.

“Hey, you.” Amy tries, grabbing an apple.

Karma jumps, “Oh. Hey. Morning.” She’s trying so hard to be casual that Amy actually winces for her.

“Thanks for getting waffles started.”

“No problem.” Then just a beat of terse silence before Karma surprisingly breaks it first. “Don’t know the last time you ate something, not sweet or covered in syrup for breakfast.” She motions to the apple that she’s currently slicing neatly.

“Um, for Lauren actually,” she mumbles.

“Oh. Right.”

The awkward silence is palpable, and Amy feels an anxious feeling tighten in her chest. It’s not supposed to be like this, she thinks briefly.

“Look, I…”

“I’m sorry about.”

They start at the same time and each stop just as abruptly. Amy hears Lauren’s light footsteps on the stairs, and suddenly she whisks in, picking up an apple slice daintily and taking a seat across from her at the bar, not looking up from her phone as she taps away.

Amy’s standing stock still and then Karma’s moving. “I’m just going to put your blankets up. I need to get back and check that the juice truck is still…juicing.”

Her comment pulls Lauren’s gaze from her phone, and Amy sees the quizzical look on her face as she watches Karma gather the blankets. It’s when she grabs the pillow that she actually witnesses the moment realization dawns on Lauren’s face. Lauren’s eyes lock onto hers, and Amy’s sure that she’s never seen this level of embarrassment of any kind on her face.

When Karma’s on the stairs, out of earshot, she starts in. “Oh my god, did she sleep down here because she heard us?”

“Well, it’s not because of the bed or anything else, Lauren!” She knows she sounds harsh, but Lauren only sets her head in her hands.

“Maybe she just saw you were gone and figured and didn’t want to make it awkward by hearing us?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” Amy wanted to entertain that idea. It was better than the alternative. “Look, I’ll go up and talk to her.” She reached out and took Lauren’s hand in hers, surprised at how important it seemed that she comfort the other girl.

In her room, she found Karma shoving her still damp clothes in a bag. “You don’t mind if I wear this home, right?” Amy doesn’t miss the way that Karma doesn’t make eye contact when she asks. _Oh crap. She had to have heard us._

“Karma, is there a reason you slept on the couch last night?”

Karma turns and catches Amy wringing her hands together, a nervous habit she’s had since they were kids. “Uh, with the power out, it was just too quiet, and well, you were gone, and I guessed you were with Lauren and went to check and… well, actually, it was just.”

She stops suddenly, and Amy’s thinking she can’t remember the last time she’s seen Karma so flustered.

She takes a deep breath before continuing, “Look, Amy, I’m just trying to get used to it, you know?”

Amy nods, “I know. It’s uh, different. I’m kind of just getting used to it too. I mean, Lauren is really hard to read sometimes.”

She laughs a small, tight laugh. Anything to break the discomfort of the moment.

“Well, it looks like you’re figuring it out,” is Karma’s mumbled reply.

“I’m trying.” Amy sighs, eyes on the floor. She’d just gotten Karama back, and she obviously isn’t as okay with this as she had seemed yesterday. “This isn’t going to come between us, is it?” She asks tentatively.

“Amy, of course not.” She finally turns and takes one of Amy’s hands. “We’ll make it thorough, like everything. It’s just going to take some getting used to is all.” She squeezes her hand before letting it go and smiling that smile that used to make Amy’s heart drop. But now, it stays, rooted in her chest, she thinks absently.

Suddenly, Karma lets out a snort. “What’s really going to be hard getting used to is knowing you let Lauren _Cooper _top you in bed.”  
“How did you know…?” When she catches Amy’s furrowed brow and head tilt, she lets out a small gasp.

“When you saw I was gone and went to check on it, you don’t mean.”

Karma rushes to cut her off, “I didn’t mean to!”

“You didn’t hear us, you_ saw _us!” Amy’s voice is laced with the incredulity she feels.

“Well, technically both,” she answers sheepishly.

“Karma!”

“I am so sorry! I really don’t know why I did it!” Amy feels that white, hot flash of anger bubble in the pit of her stomach and sucks in a breath preparing to rip her a new one. But then her bedroom door flew open.

“What the actual fuck Karma Ashcroft!” Amy and Karma both jump at the sound and snap their heads toward the tiny, fuming blonde, hands balled into fists at her sides.

Karma wants to say,_ of course,_ you were eavesdropping, but the look from the smaller girl has her pinned to the spot and lips sealed.

“Just who do you think you are?” She spits out and sees Karma take in a breath as if to respond, so she holds a hand out, “Just don’t. Let me guess you’re her_ best friend.”_ She adds the air quotes for emphasis on what she thinks of the friendship. “Best friends don’t invade each other’s privacy!” She continues, now officially on a classic Lauren Cooper rampage. “And that’s what you did! In fact, that’s what you are! An invasion!” She ends her yell with a huff, seemingly trying to ground herself.

In all the shit she’s been through, witnessed of Lauren, Amy can honestly say she’s never seen her quite _this _mad.  
“I didn’t mean, I thought maybe.”

But Lauren cuts her off again. “That what? We were having a fucking tickle fight?” she scoffs.

Karma just holds her arms out, palms up, then lets them fall, her shoulders dropping. “You’re right,” her voice croaks weakly. “I was nosey, and yea, when it comes to Amy, I have trouble with…boundaries.”

A small hmpf is heard from the blonde.

“And, I _am _sorry.” Karma took a deep breath and let her gaze hold each of the other girls a moment. “We both care about Amy a lot. I mean, isn’t eavesdropping kind of not minding boundaries too?” she says carefully.

Lauren raises a small fist, only to unclench it and jab a finger in her direction, “So _not_ the same fucking thing Ashcroft!”

Amy jumps in then, “Okay, okay. Just stop.” She raises her hands to her temples and lets her eyes close. Can one day just be easy?  
Karma and Lauren must both feel that she’s nearing her breaking point because they both reach out a steadying hand at once, but Karma reaches her first.

“Amy?” Karma lets out softly as she can. Amy lets out a shuddering breath and a quiet mumble of acknowledgment. When she opens her eyes, they’re watery, and Lauren shrinks a little inside herself.

“Yea, I just need a minute.” She crosses her arms as Karma gathers the last things, Lauren isn’t really sure where her place is and that bothers her. “Do you think you could give us a minute?” Lauren turns to go, but then hears the name. “Karma?”

She pulls in a breath. Amy wants Karma to_ leave _and _her_ to stay. “Y…yea. Sure. I actually do need to check in at home. So, I’ll just head out and give me a call later?”

Amy nods, and for all the tallies Lauren has against Karma, she takes just one back for at least her selflessly agreeing to leave for the day.

Karma leaves silently, and then it’s just she and Amy together. Lauren licks her lips and thinks of the thousand quips she has stored for such a situation.

But instead, Amy wordlessly comes to her side, her face looking nothing less than open. “I, I know it’s tough, with…” she motions vaguely, “all of this.”

Lauren feels the room then pressing in, all four walls, if possible, she feels even more. She lets out a long breath, and looks up into Amy's open, green eyes. "Tough is one word for it, I mean god, Amy, fucking Karma."

"I know." 

"Do you?" Amy knows her question is asking more. 

They're moving closer when a bang sounds from down the stairs. "Girls! I'm home!" They jump apart self consciously. 

Downstairs, Farrah is looking more worse for the wear, it's possible she was up all night at the station. "Mom, you look exhausted, are you okay?"

"Oh the role of the weather woman isn't always easy, but." She stops midsentence when she finally lays eyes on the pair. _ Lauren Cooper!" _ Lauren jumps at her whole name yelled. "I just passed Karma in the driveway and now you've got a _ hickey_ on your neck! Did you have a boy over here unsupervised? And you had Karma stay over without an adult?

Amy gulps. _ Oh. no. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have officially caught up to what I had written for this fic, but that doesn't mean it's over just yet. I feel like there's still more to this story here to flesh out. 
> 
> Thanks for any comments!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are they facing it head on or ignoring it completely? There's still a medium in between those right? This is that medium.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again. this may brush the line of the M rating, so be warned.

“It’s not what you think,” Lauren starts.

“Oh, really? Another virgin Mary episode type of deal then, huh?” Farrah is standing tall, hands on her hips, and it’s clear she’s not backing down.

Lauren looks to Amy’s face, and she must see her own panic mirrored back. Amy can hear her blood pounding in her ears.

“Y…yea. I’m sorry, Farrah. Tommy, he did come over last night. But he didn’t stay over, I wouldn’t have done that.”

That seems to placate Farrah momentarily, but doesn’t absolve her demand for “supervision.”

“Mmhm. Grounded. One week. Except for dance, I’d never hear the end of that from Bruce. And you.”

Amy finally feels her pulse begin to slow, at least her mom bought that. She’s not sure what exactly their behavior would warrant, but she’s sure they wouldn’t get off quite so easily. “What did I do?”

“You know you shouldn’t be having sleepovers with Karma without an adult in the house.”

“Mom. Karma’s not even gay,” she answers exasperated. She doesn’t entertain the ironic part that whose bed she did stay in isn’t _gay_ either.

“Oh, this week she isn’t? I said what I said. Grounded, one week.”

_“Fine.” _Amy huffs out.

Back upstairs, Amy just leans back on her bed. Her pillow still smells like Karma’s organic honey green tea shampoo. Closing her eyes, she breathes in deeply. For a moment, the scent takes over her senses, and she can see Karma’s face. But as she lets her breath even out, the way she allows it sometimes when Dr. Ross first showed her how in order to feel more in control. The scene gradually changes, and its Lauren behind her eyelids now.

And it’s not the angry Lauren she’s used too, the one who lost it not even twenty mins ago. No, it’s Lauren from last night. Whose hands cupped her face as she kissed her, who let her fingers skate her cheek before grabbing the back of her neck to deepen their kiss. She’d explored her body with a reverence she didn’t know the girl possessed.

She thought of the way she’d let down her walls, if only for one night, for_ her._

She’s brought out by a knock at her door, “Come in!”

Farrah pops her head in, “Sweetie, dinner’s ready.” She stalls when she notices the way her daughter is carefully splayed out on her comforter; she pauses and tilts her head in question. “Breathing exercises? Honey, is everything okay?” She crosses her room and sits down at the foot of her bed.

For one insane moment, she thinks about telling the truth. That she’s confused and torn, but no, it’s so not the time for that right now._ I’m not lying…just choosing not to show all my cards._ Is what she uses to justify.

“Apart from being grounded, I guess not.”

“You guess?”

“Yea, you know how it is. Can’t say Lauren and Karma during a power outage, and a raging storm was a walk through the park.”  
Farrah smiles a knowing smile before patting her on the knee. “You’re a weather woman’s daughter! I’m sure you handled it fine. Now go tell Lauren that dinner’s ready.” She kisses the top of Amy’s head before leaving.

When she knocks on Lauren’s door, she doesn’t wait for a reply before opening it to reveal Lauren mid change. She only catches a glimpse of her toned stomach and light pink bra before clutching her shirt to her chest. “Jesus, Amy! Knocking kind of defeats the purpose if you’re just going to barge in!”

“Sorry, but kind of already seen it all.” Amy can’t help the small smirk as she leans against the doorframe.

Lauren rolls her eyes but lets the shirt fall from her front before pulling it on. She definitely doesn’t miss the way Amy’s eyes still trail down her body, as if she hadn’t already spent much of the night going over it with much more than her eyes. “Don’t look so smug.”

“I’ll work on that. Mom wanted me to let you know dinner is ready.”

“I’ll be down in a few.” Amy waits for more, but Lauren just turns back to her closet, hanging and sorting. _Walls back up then._

Dinner is only slightly as awkward as she expects, but luckily Farrah is caught up relaying how she ran the station as head meteorologist for the entire evening.

They all watch Dancing with the Stars, and Lauren scoffs and huffs the whole time, but now what’s different is how endearing she finds it all.

That night she stares at the glowing stars on her ceiling, and she thinks of the light they need in order to do so. This time, the lingering connection she’d felt last time hits her again. Maybe, people too needed something to help them be who they are.

She and Lauren sleep in their respective beds that night, and for the next three nights actually.

******************************

They’d successfully managed to keep interactions with each other to a minimum, which is pretty impressive, considering that they’ve both been imprisoned from being hardly anywhere else.

On Monday, Amy’s almost convinced her that the entire thing was possibly a figment of her imagination, triggered by stress or bad fruit. Curse Lauren and her insistent on fruity breakfasts.

Karma finds her after first period in the quad. It probably should have been more awkward, but Karma was prepared with a box full of warm pastries from her favorite bakery. It didn’t occur to Amy that they were probably as much a bribe as a distraction. 

“Sooooo,” she begins all sing-song. “You know that Shane is having a mid-semester party this weekend? We have to go!”

“Hah. Even if I wanted to pretend to want to go, I can’t. My mom grounded me for a week.”

“What? What for?”

It occurs to her then, she never told Karma or the extremely awkward reason why. She casts her eyes down and is working to come up with a far less embarrassing lie, but Karma takes her silence as meaning the worst.

She gasps, “Oh, she found out about you and Lauren, didn’t she. Damn. And you guys only got a week?”

“God, no thank god. Wait, what do you mean _only _a week?”

“Then what did you get grounded for?”

Amy shakes her head. “Uh, Lauren had a fucking hickey.” Karma’s eyes widen. “She said it was Tommy.”

“Ah, okay. Good save…for Lauren then.” Amy just rolls her eyes. “So, are you guys still…?”

“Umm. I don’t know. We still haven’t talked about it.”

“Really? Even after I left?” Amy shakes her head. “Huh. Well, maybe it’s a good thing?

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Well, what was the plan? You guys start dating while living in the same house? Being step sisters?”

“Okay, okay.” Amy acquiesces. “But I mean, we really seem to potentially have something. I felt things…changing. Don’t we deserve to give it a shot, to be happy? Even regarding everything?”

“Okay, but even so. It starts with talking.” Karma smiles and stands holding her hand out to help Amy up. This, Amy thinks, this is why she still needs Karma to be her best friend. To help, without judgment.

It’s day four since the _incident,_ as Lauren has come to call it.  
She’s not sure why now, tonight, it seems so damn _hard_ to ignore her thoughts.

She has a hint, of course. A hint that includes the visual of Amy stretched languidly out on the couch, shirt ridden up to expose just a bit of the smooth expanse of her skin. An expanse, she had the chance to traverse herself just a few nights ago. Four nights too long. Her breath catches in her throat. She wasn’t going to deny that it had been much harder to keep herself rooted in her own bed at night, knowing what could arguably be hers just a few feet away.

It was clear that Amy’s attraction to her expanded beyond the words of her journal. But did it reach to just the coveted hours of the night, under blankets, and away from judgmental eyes.

“Girls, I know it’s late, but I’m heading to the station. _Do not_ get into any trouble while I’m gone, because a week’s grounding can be just the start.”

Each girl mumbles a yes ma’am before Farrah leaves them. After her exit, there’s an electric feeling in the room, and it only takes Amy a minute to put a finger on why. _Oh. _They haven’t been_ alone, alone _since the night of the storm.

In spite of herself, Lauren still lets herself sneak glances at Amy while she pretends not to notice.

“Lauren?”

“Hmm?” She tries so hard to be casual, but her voice comes out clipped.

“Can we talk?”

“Aren’t we?” she quips back.

Amy lets her annoyance get the better of her. “Fine.”

Lauren idly picks at a seem, daring another glance. Amy’s face is screwed up, staring at the television, and it’s a give away that lets Lauren know she’s really only staring at a corner of the screen. “I’m sorry. I’m not good at this.”

She takes in a breath and turns toward Lauren, tucking her feet under her as she does so. “You don’t have to be good at it, just willing to try.”

Lauren nods, biting her lip. _Willing to try,_ she repeats to herself. She could do that. “Okay. I mean, I am willing,” she says softly.

“So, talking?” She sees Lauren tense up and backpedals. “Or not, we don’t have to do that.” She catches Lauren’s gaze flick over her face and down briefly to her lips. She feels a bit of confidence from the action and reaches out to rest a hand over one of Lauren’s that rest closest to her. When she feels her relax, she grasps it and pulls just so that Lauren has to readjust to rest her side against her fully. At first, Lauren’s stiff against her, but second by second, she relaxes, and a few minutes go by, and she’s intertwined their hands and rests her head against her shoulder.

After an episode or two, she tugs on Lauren’s hand again. “C’mon, it’s late.” She manages to tug her sleepy counterpart to her feet, and together in the empty house, they make it slowly up the stairs.  
A few minutes later, they both lay in Amy’s bed on their sides facing each other. Amy lifts a hand tentatively and rests it on Lauren’s hip. She lets out a contented sigh.

“Listen, I think we need to talk about..”

An irritated groan interrupts her. “Of course you do. What is this obsession with over analyzing everything? Can’t we just?” She punctuates her statement by edging closer and letting their legs tangle together.

“Yes. We can.” It comes out more breather than she meant for it. Having Lauren again so close in her arms. But the small voice in the back of her mind reminds her that at some point, Karma was right, they would need to talk about it. “But it’s just, Karma thinks we should ta…”

“Amy.” She says so pointedly and suddenly that she cuts herself off. “You are so not talking about Karma when you’re in bed with _me.” _Even though she says it softly, the way she puts emphasis on the last part comes out so fiercely, _Lauren._ She lets a hand curl around the back of her neck to play with the soft baby hairs there gently. Amy nods, a little dumbstruck with the dichotomy of intensity and softness that is Lauren right now.

She doesn’t even have time to process how attractive that is before Lauren’s decision to abandon the soft moment and instead chooses to drag her down to her mouth for a kiss. Amy waste no time in propping herself up on an elbow and bring her other to cradle Lauren’s face.

Lauren hums into her mouth happily, and it has Amy licking her bottom lip, asking for permission. Lauren lets her take charge, licking into her mouth as her legs already fall open to accommodate Amy’s hips to fit in between. The fact that the act already feels natural has her head buzzing.

Amy leans down, pressing the hips flush together as she groans lightly into Lauren’s neck. Lauren takes advantage of Amy’s exposed neck and licks a hot streak up the side.

_“Oh, god.” _Amy begins to roll her hips.

“Don’t finish so soon this time.” Lauren answers, she means it jokingly, but her voice comes out much lower than even she expects.

Amy chuckles against her neck, the breath tickling her ear. “I’ll try.” With that, she hooks her thumbs under the waistband of her shorts and tugs gently, so Lauren knows to lift her hips, so they slide off easily. She lifts up and pulls her shirt overhead and hears Amy let out a breath before meeting her back down on the mattress.

_Such a good kisser._ Lauren thinks dimly when they’re back assaulting each other’s mouths. Suddenly Amy is pulling away before meeting Lauren’s eyes. Breathlessly she asks, “Can I go down on you?”

“Um, yea. I mean, no one ever has. So..” The uncertainty is clear in Lauren’s eyes.

“No one?” Amy tries not to sound too incredulous. Lauren just shakes her head, looking shyer by the second. Amy feels that need again to comfort the other girl. So, she leans back down to place a seething kiss back on her lips, kissing across her jaw to her ear. She takes the earlobe gently in between her teeth to earn a low whimper from the blonde and whispers quietly, “Well, I _really_ want to.”

She feels Lauren nodding against her face, before just wrapping her arms around her shoulders. Kissing down between her breasts, down her stomach, all the while listening to the way Lauren sucks breaths in and letting them out with a shudder.

It’s when she’s just above the hem of her panties that she takes pause. Looking up to catch Lauren peering back down at her, pupils blown wide. Without thinking, she leans forward and presses a kiss against her clothing clad core, and the gasp and jerk it earns her has her resisting a chuckle.

She does it once more, and she does have a plan. A plan that involves teasing, but then Lauren arches off the bed and presses her center harder against her face, begging without words. And Amy is snatching the barrier away and burying her face in between smooth, tense thighs.

Lauren’s response is immediate in the loud moan that escapes her lips and the way that one of her hands flies to the headboard behind her.

Lauren can only describe it as fireworks when Amy’s tongue begins long, slow licks. She feels the other girl pulling her legs even wider apart, and Lauren does feel exposed, and maybe in any other context, she’d feel embarrassed. But she can feel Amy’s appreciative moans echoing her own as she delves even more inward.

It’s just minutes later when she finally loses it, Amy continues to enjoy herself until Lauren has to reach down and gently push her shoulders, so she knows she’s too sensitive to continue.

When she crawls back atop Lauren, she lays heavily on her body. Lauren looks at her and glances down to her lips, “Does it, do I… taste….okay?”

Amy, still incredibly turned on can’t resist the remark, “Want to find out?” She leans forward, the temptation works as Lauren surges forward to capture Amy’s lips in between her own. The taste is tangy, a touch of salt, and the fact that she’s licking it off Amy’s lips does wonders for her.

They hear the faint sound of gravel being crunched underneath tires, and they freeze momentarily. The front door is opened and closed, but no other movement is heard close by. Amy makes a move to shift off to let Lauren free, but the other girl clasps her hand around her wrist at the movement.

“Can we just sleep together? Just this night?” Amy just nods in ascent. Just this night, what could happen?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have so many ideas for this story to progress. I hope you stay tuned! I live for comments and kudos.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amy and Lauren survive a week's grounding, to end up drinking way too much at a party. As stated before, what's the worst that could happen?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to keep up with the progression of the story. I, personally, love the development of the relationship.

Amy wakes up…alone. The realization is surprising and somehow not at the same time. It leaves her frowning into the early light of the morning. There's a knock at her door, and she offers a hopeful "come in," but then it's her mom striding into her room. 

"Morning, honey. No need to look so disappointed. You look like someone just sneezed in your cornflakes."

"Well, I am awake before eight a.m. on a Saturday. So, consider my cornflakes sneezed in."

"I just love that, that sarcasm of yours. But you might think about reeling it in. Never gonna catch a guy with that. Or gal." She avoids her mom's steely gaze. Opting instead of accepting her day is going to begin this early, without doughnuts, and apparently an empty bed. "Anyways, cheer up. You're officially off the hook. Groundings over."

"It is? What's the catch?"

"The catch is I'm going in early to work. I need you to take to do some things around the house. I've been so busy, and it's certainly starting to tell with the amount of clothes in the hamper and dishes in the sink. Lauren is going to help too."

"Okay, I can work with that. But can I please hang out with Karma tonight?" She and Karma hadn't spent any time together except in between classes. And when Shane is planning a party, it tends to dominate the conversation. So instead of updating Karma about the progress (or lack of) the "talk" with Lauren, she instead knows about one of Shane's hot college guys that's going to be supplying the party with an absurd amount of alcohol. 

"I guess. But, no unsupervised sleepovers." Amy rolls her eyes but nods her head anyway. 

"Okay. Speaking of Lauren helping, is she already up?" She's trying to sound casual, even though she's pretty sure she has never asked her mom anything about Lauren before. Ever. It shows by the quizzical look her mom gives her before answering. 

"Yes, she is. You know how she is, already on her peloton before the coffee machine started. So, you better get on it. You'll never hear the end of it if she knocks out all that work on her own while you're up here, snoozing away." 

"Right. On it." She jumps up, ignoring the way her heart thumps in her chance already thinking of seeing Lauren after the night they shared.  
\------------------------------------------------------

She texts Karma and literally groans when she realizes that Shane's party is tonight. She agrees to go anyways when Karma says in return, they'll have a girl's day Sunday.

Downstairs she finds Lauren listening to music, scrubbing away at a pot that has undoubtedly seen better days. 

"Might want to let that one soak." Lauren turns when she hears her. _Of course, _ she thinks as she takes her in. Her hair is perfectly straightened and pulled back in a low ponytail accentuating her pale neck, absent from the marks that had faded over the week. She wears light makeup today, and even her cleaning the house clothes are nice. Simple, but nice. Amy, by contrast, wears plain gray sweatpants slung low on her hips with. A plain blue shirt that's loose from too many times washed and worn but has that comfy feel she loves. 

"That will just make this whole process take longer. Don't be lazy. But what am I saying? You couldn't even be bothered to do something with that hair." 

She suddenly feels self-conscious about her messy bun but feels the response at the tip of her tongue. 

"Maybe if you could keep your hands out of it, it wouldn't be so bad."

"Amy!" Lauren hisses as she throws a look over her shoulder.

Amy just chuckles at her reaction. "She's not here, already left for work."

Amy starts unloading and loading dishes, easily reaching over Lauren's head to put them up, all the while Lauren still hasn't moved. Suddenly, in the middle of Amy reaching high right above her head, Lauren turns around, her hands still gripping the counter behind her. Amy looks down then, at Lauren's intense stare. "What are you doing later?" 

"Going to Shane's party, actually." The intensity of the stare is taken down a notch as confusion passes over Lauren's features. "Karma talked me into it." She's so used to the eye roll she barely notices it.

"Don't go if you don't want to." 

She just shrugs, but she wonders if this is Lauren asking to do something with her instead. "Why? What else should I do? Did you want to do something?" But apparently, it was the wrong thing to say. Lauren's eyes narrow just a little. 

She turns around back to the sink with a shrug of her own. "Probably practicing with Pablo."

"Oh. Okay." It feels awkward and tense, and Amy wishes she'd asked about why Lauren hadn't stayed in bed with her instead. But she thinks about how her mom woke her, and that would have been hard to explain. If even possible. She still has her eyebrows knitted in thought and holding the same glass before Lauren had turned.

"Hello. Earth to Amy. Neither of us are doing anything if we don't get this shit done, and I don't know about you, but I'd like to see something other than the inside of this house." She nods dumbly and decides to tackle laundry rather than suffer the awkwardness that is her and Lauren right now.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------  
Karma shows up at eight p.m. sharp, wearing a tight-fitting green dress and a pair of small heeled copper-colored shoes. "Aren't you a little overdressed for one of Shane's parties?" Karma huffs at Amy's bemused look.

_"No. _ I'm not. You know his parties are bigger than the school dances!" 

"Yea, but with everyone's so wasted, they don't even remember anyone's outfits. OR they wake up without them on."

Karma ignores her statement entirely and unfortunately, turns the spotlight on her. "What are you wearing?" Amy cocks an eyebrow and gestures lamely over herself. 

"Uh, this?" Karma gives her dark wash jeans and unassuming long sleeve white tee a once over. 

"The black combat boots save it, but at least let me pick out a cute jacket for you."

"It's not even cold!" 

"It's about _layers."_ Amy puffs out an annoyed breath but accepts a light green jacket with a hood from somewhere in the depths of her closet and puts it on. It does look cute, and that fact just annoys her more. 

"Look, we match," says Karma with that sideways smile looking at them in the mirror, and Amy feels her heart twist just a little. "Let's head out, at this rate it'll be almost ten when we get there."  
\------------------------------------------------------  
Arriving at the party, the scene is exactly what she expected, and yet it still surprises her. She knows alcohol guy "with lickable abs" as Shane had called him, is responsible for all of it, but how should someone even be legally allowed to purchase _all_ of it. She recognizes a few wine coolers, but there are bottles and bottles of obscene sizes everywhere. However, considering the party still seems pretty tame. Just a game of beer pong at one table, a game of flip cup at another, and there's even a small fire pit out back with only a few people milling around. 

"What the_ hell?"_ Karma snaps after taking in the same scene. 

"What's wrong?" 

"Where is the off the chain classic Shane party?" Amy opens her mouth to respond but is cut off when Shane himself, clad in tight, black pants with a glittery vest. Just an open vest, with nothing underneath.

"Wow. Nice… threads." Amy snips under laughter. He just holds up a hand to cut her off.

"I'll have you know. This was featured on Rupaul's Drag Race. And," he spins to face Karma, "this party is just getting started. Come take party ready shots with me."

"What the hell are party ready shots?" Amy grumbles.

"Shots to get you ready to party!" Shane supplies taking each of the girl's hands in his and pulling them towards the kitchen. 

The shots are a questionable color of fluorescent green, but then Shane tops them off with some other liquor, and it quells the color a bit and gives it a minty smell that seems tolerable. The small stride to the kitchen had Amy thinking of all the ways she could get out of taking a shot, some of which just had her tossing the liquid straight over her shoulder. 

But now here, with Karma beside her and Shane making some ridiculous sentiment of why they're taking this together she gets a little caught up in the moment. Karma's eyes are shining bright, and she's laughing at Shane with that big, wide-open laugh she does when she's really laughing. She tunes back in just to catch the end of his joke, and Karma and Shane are both looking at her expectantly with their glasses half raised in the air, waiting. For once, she tosses all the worry, the trepidation aside. She remembers how she had felt with Lauren in her arms the night before, wondering _what's the worst that could happen. _

She'd waken alone, a small voice in the back of her mind reminds her. It's that bitter reminder that has her tipping the shot back and feeling the somewhat light burn of it in her throat. 

When she sets it down, she catches Karma looking at her in pleased delight. "Well, look who's come out to play?" Amy's not sure if it's her mind that makes it sound half suggestive, the liquor, or something else entirely. She half laughs, dispelling it momentarily. 

A commotion is heard from the living room, and she can tell from the squeals that it's none other than Liam fucking Booker, but now with the small amount of alcohol finally hitting her, she cares at least fifty percent less than usual. _I should drink more often, _she thinks idly before realizing someone else entering the small expanse of the kitchen. 

"I'm going to, um, see about that." Karma offers half halfheartedly before headed towards the squeals. 

Amy nods._ Don't roll your eyes, don't roll your eyes._ Lauren was definitely starting to rub off on her. 

"Hey, Amy!" She turns to catches the wide eyes of none other than Lisbeth staring at her with her crooked, genuine smile. 

"Hey, Lisbeth." She struggles momentarily, thinking this is one of the last places she'd see the girl.

"I bet you're thinking this is the last place I'd ever be, right?" She giggles, and Amy, a little drunk already, half heartedly chimes in. "I'm just here to support Lauren." She's so caught off guard she nearly chokes on her spit.

"Wha-what? Lauren, where?" Lisbeth looks at her funnily, but then just points into the next room as she passes her. Amy looks over, and sure enough, she catches the long, blonde hair no longer in a low pony leaning over enraptured in a conversation with the school's known representative libertarian. She feels a bubbling of jealousy at the way Lauren bats her eyelashes combined with a smile she knows she only reserves for close friends. 

Her scowl digs deeper involuntarily even as she feels a gentle tap on her shoulder and yet another shot is placed in front of her. When she turns, she sees Shane's brown eyes with a glint of amusement present. "I know something is going on between you two." He supplies all mysteriously and giggles. 

She looks down at the shot, but in it, she sees reflected all the mistakes she's made. Sleeping with Liam, confessing to Karma, doing this, with Lauren. Mistakes.

_Is it? _

The last thought is still swirling in her brain as she throws the next shot back. When she lifts her head, it's lightly buzzing in a way that makes everything feel a little less than it should. She giggles without reason, then laughs. Like _foolheartedly laughs._

It takes a couple minutes for her to get over the laughter, but when she finally does and looks up, she's caught Lauren's eyes. The guy, _is Dereck his name,_ is still leaning in and talking intently into her ear, but Lauren doesn't seem to notice. Amy's a little pleased and wants to go over and say something about this new development, but then a hand is wrapped around her arm, and she's half tugged outside. 

The fresh air outside sobers her just a little, and she realizes in just the ten minutes they've been there, the party's nearly doubled in size. "This can't be happening," Karma is saying to her now, her hand still firmly wrapped around her arm. There are tears in her eyes. Amy sees now, and she feels a slight panic at the sight.

"Karma, what's wrong?" 

"Liam is fucking talking to that girl from the coffee shop now. I…I think I lost my chance, Ames." Amy feels a tug at her heart, yea, she's definitely over all the Liam drama and why can't Karma see that she's so much better than some guy who doesn't want to give her the time of day? But never, does she want to see Karma cry. 

"I'm sorry." She pulls Karma into her arms and feels hot tears where her face presses into the crook of her neck.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------  
Lauren did not initially plan to go to Shane's party. She'd known about it, of course, because she existed and had ears. But why would anyone choose to be surrounded by drunk idiots when she could be perfecting her pirouettes. Then Amy just casually mentions she's going, and Lauren _fucking waits _for her to invite her along, and Lauren Cooper does not fucking wait for an invite. Amy had asked instead if she wanted to do something. _How fucking vague? _Like it hadn't even occurred to invite the girl, she was fucking to a party like a normal ass person. Instead, she comes with Karma._ Of course. _

Pablo mentions Shane Harvey as a "person of interest" because that's Pablo. And while Shane is definitely not good enough for him, it is an opportunity. So she impulsively agrees to Pablo's plan of dropping by one of Harvey's "famous parties." 

It isn't so bad is her first thought. It's not as crowded and sweaty as she'd expected. A nice looking guy wearing a blazer over a t shirt approaches her, she instinctively puts up walls and is ready to fire off excuses to get away. However, she then recognizes a flash of the porcupine logo in red and blue pinned to the right side of his lapel. She can't help the way Intrigue grips her. "Hi, I'm Dereck." Whatever he was going to say is cut off when Lauren interrupts him.

"You're wearing a libertarian pin?" She cocks an eyebrow as a challenge, but he just grins cheekily back. 

"Indeed. Left-wing policies on social issues with the support of gun ownership? Who could argue with that?" He uses the word argue on purpose, Lauren's mind chimes in. Chasing a fight. 

"And what would you say about the allegations of chasing a utopian society?" She knows the question will most likely elicit an answer that can be circled back, Lauren loves a good political debate. It shows how people hold themselves in a challenge. He begins speaking low and intense, and suddenly, she finds it harder to hear him as more people are filing in, and the party starts to take off as music, and idle chatter gets louder. 

His answer she finds is textbook and lacks the controversy she was chasing. He drones on, she loses interest and when she looks up, her eyes catch green. They hold each other's gaze a moment, but then she sees Karma swooping in from the side, her face is visibly upset as she takes Amy's arm and basically drags her out the back through the kitchen. The door is all glass, and she witnesses Karma talking to her, no doubt, relying whatever's happened this time to make her upset. She watches as Amy's face turns into a frown to match Karma's and pulls her into her arms; Karma tucks her face into the crook of Amy's neck, letting her hands grip Amy's lower back. The same back she'd had her nails on. Lauren's face flushes with a feeling she can't let herself feel. Won't feel. 

She stands suddenly, leaving the guy stumbling over whatever he was saying. She doesn't even offer an excuse just chooses to have something to chase these feelings away. She's drank before, once or twice, with friends in Dallas that had parents who had such an extensive wine cellar that they'd never notice any bottle missing. She makes her way to a bar cart on the side of the dining room. Choosing to be far from the scene just outside the kitchen door. 

Her eyes flit over the different labels on the bottles as she prepares to pick her poison. Her hand pauses over a vanilla rum that looks acceptable. She opens the cap and gives it a sniff. The acidity makes her nose wrinkle, but there's a sweetness to it that makes it seem rather harmless to imbibe. She grabs a tumbler and pours a heavy handed amount. It's at least two or three shots worth. Idly she wonders if she'd have poured it into a shot glass instead. Again, Karma and Amy's scene occurs intrusively in her mind. _Screw it. _

"I hear that pairs really nicely with cranberry juice." Lisbeth offers at her side as Lauren tips the liquid back. She downs it in two gulps and slams it down harder than she meant to at her sudden appearance.

She coughs at the burn and stammers to her friend, "you're suppose it mix it?" 

"Yea, that's like twenty percent alcohol."

Lauren looks at her curiously. "How do you know that?" She asks dumbly, she already feels her head feeling a little lighter, already the reasons for her… annoyance, becoming a memory. 

"My mom's hobby is drinking. Also, it's printed on the bottle." Lisbeth points to the small print at the bottom of the bottle. "Want me to make you a proper one? I've gotten a lot of practice at home, maybe I'll become a famous bartender! Oh, Lauren, wouldn't that be so cool?" 

"Lisbeth. Why on earth would you want to be a bartender, and how would you be famous?" Lisbeth just shrugs and offers her a drink much smaller than the one she'd poured. She takes it and sniffs it, but all she smells is the sweet cranberry, she takes a sip and finds it much better than the burning before. She downs it quickly and places the glass down. "Another." She waits for a warning, and maybe she needs one, but Lisbeth knowing better, simply supplies another. 

Taking it with her, she turns toward the kitchen, feeling the room tilt a little as she does so. Even so, she strides purposefully to the door. She narrowly misses colliding with several people on her way out but manages to get out of the door. The night air is cooler than she thought, and she regrets the shorter skirt she'd picked for the evening. Especially considering the person she'd dressed for is currently entertaining someone else. 

She scans the backyard, decorated prettily in small globed lights that hang lowly and stretch across several places along the fencing and trees. There are a couple small burning fire pits that have attracted a few party guests. She chooses one that only a couple girls stand nearby for. It's warmer next to the fire, and she feels the condensation on her glass as she sips more of the drink. She finally spies Amy and Karma, now seating on a small wicker loveseat cuddled up together with Karma's head on Amy's shoulder, and she hand loosely fisted in a green jacket she's certain she'd never seen Amy wear. 

Someone approaches them, and it takes Lauren's blurry mind a second to place him. Felix, that's right. Another pang of jealousy flares up, remembering his and Amy's past. _No._ Not _jealousy._ Because she can't be jealous, not when the person who's creating those feelings doesn't even like her. She so much as said so in that diary. The diary that had been stolen and sent out around the school in a cruel, punishing way by her "best friend." Who now she's cuddled up! Her mind spits the last line, and in anger, she grips the small glass and tosses back the watered down drink. 

By the time she's done downing and looks up, it's only Karma on the loveseat, and in place of Amy, it's Felix. She hears a small hey behind her. She doesn't turn, because she knows it's Amy. The other two girls are so engrossed in their chatter they don't notice the addition to their small group. She hums a small sound of acknowledgment. "I didn't know you were coming tonight." She sways a little. _Damn, how much has she had to drink?_

"Well, here I am." She swirls the few cubes in her glass.

"I'm glad." Then she does turn, takes her in. Amy, with her hands in her pockets, looking a little sheepish, hair in waves over her shoulders. She's always loved when she wore her hair down. 

"Really? It seems like you've had your attentions… busy." Her mind is still working a little slow. 

"Hey, are you? You seem a little drunk?" Shit. She must have been slurring. 

"So, what if I am?" And really, so what? She's not a saint, and damn if it hasn't made her feel a little better than worrying incessantly over this _thing._ She expects some sort of berating, but none comes. Instead, she looks over, and Amy has a look on her face she can't quite place. 

"Well, I'd say it's time, Lauren Copper lets loose." Lauren can't help the hitch in her breath. She's having trouble remembering why she was so angry earlier. Her eyes search the side of the yard until she finds Karma and Felix again. Their hands are intertwined, and Karma's head is on his shoulder now. Even inebriated, she's able to come to a conclusion. That Karma Ashcroft, even as annoying as she was maybe, just maybe needed a friend tonight. The thought has her chewing on the side of her cheek in thought. 

"Lauren?" Right, She's forgotten to say anything. She turns to face Amy and lets herself feel coy for once._ Letting loose. _

"There's a, a door through the laundry room. Meet me there in five." With that, she catches Amy's wide eyes, she sees a flicker of interest go over her face. She does her best to walk straight and drops off her glass on the counter once inside. She knows the door is most likely the basement, and she's heard Shane talk about his prized basement. Besides half full of his mother's vibrators, it has white Christmas lights around to 'set the mood,' several plush leather sofas, even a pool table that has seen way too many escapades for its own good. But most importantly, it's hopefully secluded. She's not sure how far she's willing to take letting loose. But with a little rum in her system, she's ready to find out.  
\---------------------------------------------  
Amy's head is buzzing as she walks through the small house, she makes her way through throngs of people and the music is so loud that the bass reverberates through her body. She locates the door at the far side of the hallway, passing by a dryer and washing machine. How Lauren knows about it, she has no idea. She opens the door, expecting to find another couple or two, at least. But no, it's completely secluded. Lightly decorated, much like the back yard, but a little darker. She sees Lauren on the far side of the room, checking her phone absentmindedly. 

When the door shuts noisily behind her, Lauren starts, looking of all things surprised momentarily. It's only a few paces in before she's right in front of the other girl. "I thought you were expecting me?" She cocks her eyebrow, unsure of how to take in the situation now that she's here. 

Lauren licks her lips, the action attracting Amy's eyes as she does so. When they're just a breath apart, they stop, arms each grasping the other's forearm. 

"Why didn't you invite me?" Lauren asks her question hardly above a whisper.

"I didn't know you cared." She can tell Amy's conflicted. She's lived with her long enough to know the ways that her brows knit that she's genuine. In all the ways she's been frustrated tonight, this revelation brings her to a stop. Perhaps she's right. Maybe she honestly didn't know how much she cared. 

"I do," she offers simply, advancing into Amy's personal space. Amy instinctively steps back, but Lauren just follows. Her usually wide, blue eyes now looking more purposeful, giving her the look of a huntress, making Amy feel quite like the prey. She didn't realize how close she had been to the wall until her back hit it, and Lauren's pressed into her and took one side of her jacket in her hands. She fisted the material in her hand, pulling her down to press a hard kiss to her lips. Amy gasped, and Lauren took the opportunity to ravage her mouth with her tongue. 

Amy's hands unconsciously settled on Lauren's hips. She tasted like cranberries, sweet with just a touch of bitterness. Lauren ran her other hand to curl around her neck, her thumb sliding across her jaw. "I've wanted to do this all night," she murmured, pulling back for a moment. Amy didn't have a chance to reply before Lauren dove back in hungrily. 

Lauren let her jacket fall from her hand to skate along the skin above the waist of her jeans before running up her side. The action brought Amy back to the reality of their situation. The situation that she was at a Shane Harvey party (of all things), in the freaking basement, with a very intoxicated Lauren Cooper who currently had her pressed against a wall who seemingly had intentions for this to go further, much further. And while they had done much more, it had only been a couple of times, not counting the time she'd gotten off by humping Lauren into the bed she adds on embarrassingly, and neither of those times had either of them being under the influence of anything. She tried to pull away but Lauren was so incessant that it took a couple tries of her trying to make words into her mouth. She actually had to push lightly on her shoulders to get her attention. _"Lauren."_

"Yea," she answered breathlessly, "what is it?"

"I, um, I think we should slow down," she knew she sounded just as breathless. 

"You don't want to do this? Amy took a breath to answer but didn't have the chance. She saw a look flash across Lauren's face. "You'd rather be here with Karma, right?"

"What?" Amy questioned. Lauren's face was still scrunched up and looked like a mix of being on the verge of tears or popping off on a rant. She suddenly moved to twist away, but Amy was too quick for her, wrapping her arms around her lower back and pulling her back in as if in an embrace. 

"Of course not, Lauren," Amy says quietly into her hair, "there's absolutely no one else I'd rather be here with." She feels Lauren let herself softly fall into her arms.

"Do you really mean that?"

"Yes, I do." There's a lot more she could say, but she just needs Lauren to believe her right now. 

"And is this?" Amy waits for her to continue, "more than…just this?"

"Yea, why did you think I've wanted to talk?" Realization dawns over Lauren's face. It shocks Amy some that Lauren really believed it had _just_ been sex. Lauren licks her lips and looks up into Amy's face. Her eyes are still a little bleary, but still full of meaning and Amy can't not kiss her. She kisses her softly but, but Lauren hurriedly deepens the kiss, and her moan is almost instantaneous. When those fingertips are back on her side like magnets and the possibility of going further rockets back into her brain, she remembers the real reason she'd slowed down before. It wasn't so hard this time to get Lauren's attention. "Wait, wait." 

Lauren pulls back and looks curiously at her, any animosity absent from her face. "I just know that we've been drinking and um, don't want to do something that you, I mean we, don't…mean to?" She can't help but end it in a question, it feels silly to ask, but she just has to. And thankfully, Lauren gets the gist of what she feels. 

"I definitely want to be doing this here with you. Now." She finishes her statement off with a fierce kiss and bite to her bottom lip. Amy groans and finally, finally lets her hands roam over her body.

"Y, yea. Okay." Her stammering is cut off again by Lauren's lips, but they traverse down the side of her neck as Lauren slots a leg in between hers. Lauren hums a satisfied sound against her. When her thigh hits a particular place in between her own, another groan is ripped from her throat. 

"God, it's so hot when you sound like that." Amy is only slightly caught off guard by Lauren's words, the rest of her is too busy reacting. Lauren's mouth is busy, kissing her like her life depends on it, but one of her hands maneuver to her breast to knead softly. Amy's telling herself to not sound needy, but the sound of satisfaction leaves her mouth anyhow. "You like that?" Lauren is asking, and she's so surprised she forgets to answer. Lauren's never been quite this vocal before. 

"Y…yeah I do." She stammers. 

Lauren maneuvers her mouth to Amy's jaw and slips her hand over the crotch of the jeans, and she feels Amy's hips jerk into her hand. She feels Lauren smile into the crook of her neck. Lauren popped the button of her jeans and pulled down the zipper, letting her knuckles graze the fabric. Lauren's mind is swirly, yea she's definitely still intoxicated, but now it's something else taking over her mind, loosening her limbs. And it's Amy, but not just her. It's that Amy _wants_ her as much as Lauren wants. That it's not just dream Lauren she thinks about, and it sure as shit is not fucking Karma. 

She pulls her hand up just to slide in the front of her panties. She runs her fingers softly up and down, gathering wetness and brings it up to glide across that bundle of nerves that causes Amy's hands to fist in Lauren's hair. 

She's breathing heavy, but not quite making the sounds that Lauren's crave. "I know you like it because you're this wet." Amy groans and throws her head back, it lightly thuds on the wall behind her. It puts her neck on display, and Lauren attaches her mouth to it deftly. 

"Oh, god, yes." Amy gasps pinned between Lauren and the wall._ That's more like it. _ Lauren's mind hazily reacts.

"You want more?" And Amy, with her eyes still closed, nods fervently. 

"Tell me." Amy pulls her bottom lip in between her own, stifling a moan, and that simply won't do. "I want to hear you, Amy." And just like that and with a swipe of her fingers over her clit, she lets out a loud moan and her hips jerk up again making Lauren use her other hand to pin her hips against the wall. 

"More, more. Please give me more."

"That's it," Lauren gasps out, pushing a finger in and creating a slow, torturous rhythm. "Another?" Amy's moaning out loud with every push in. She slides in two fingers and curls them inside. Without a hint of shame Lauren comments, "mm, you always going to feel this good?" she thinks it must be the liquor making her lips loose. 

"Oh, fuck. Oh bab…Lauren. Don't stop." Lauren smirks against Amy's neck.

"Are you close? She doesn't have to ask, it's apparent in the breathy moans and jerking of her hips. She nods, mouth open, moaning, and Lauren thinks she could get used to seeing Amy like this. "Come for me, baby. I want to feel you come for me." She purposefully uses the pet name that Amy narrowly avoided.

"Oh, my god. Fuck! Ah." Keeping one hand in Lauren's hair, she grabs her side with the other and holds on for dear life as she pulses around Lauren's fingers.

Lauren slows to a stop and feels Amy go limp. She's still braced against her when she pulls out and hopes Amy's legs don't go completely go out because even as thin as she is, she'd probably take them both to the floor.

"Wow, that was. Wow." Amy says, still trying to catch her breath. Lauren just hums in response before pressing her lips to Amy's. "God, that was so hot. When you were saying those things." Lauren's sobered enough to feel a tinge of embarrassment at the reminder of she'd said so that blush begins to creep up to her cheeks. But, if Amy liked it, well…

Amy's hands are on her neck then and kissing her almost desperately. She pushes forward from the wall moving Lauren backwards. Her hands drop to Lauren's skirt, playing with the side zipper as they near the middle of the room. "I want to touch you, can I?"

Lauren is so wet, she's surprised Amy can't feel it even through her skirt. "I kind of really need you too." Amy directs them toward a plush couch, and it crosses Lauren's mind that there's a strong possibility that many couples have probably done this on that couch, but she also feels so needy that she doesn't even care. 

Amy ends up abandoning the zipper to grasp the bottom hem of the skirt and push it up to her hips. She then drops her jacket off her shoulders before pressing a hand softly to Lauren's shoulders, so she knows to lay back. Climbing on top of the smaller girl, she considers pulling her underwear to the side, but decides for the way she really wants to fuck her, she needs the, entirely out of the way. So she reaches up under the skirt and hooks her fingers and pulls them down. The basement's string lighting doesn't offer much lighting, but it does provide enough so she can see a few strands of wetness from her core to the center of the underwear when she pulls them down. _God, she's so fucking wet._ Amy's gaze snaps up to Lauren's face. Her eyes are darker than usual, and her lips are parted. Amy drops a hand down between her legs and watches her eyes drift close. Her body seems to automatically arch up at the first touch of her fingers. She swipes up and down a couple of times before slowly pushing in two fingers. She feels the slight stretch, and Lauren lets out a high pitched whine. When she pushes in deeper, Lauren's voice is strained, "slow, slow baby." She slows until Lauren's sounds turn into light moans and she cants up her hips to take more of her in.

"Oh yes, feels so good now. So good." Amy takes the encouragement and presses her own core against the back of her hand, and she's glad her jeans are still undone because listening to the sounds Lauren makes is turning her on again, and the small amount of friction against her is doing wonders. 

She leans down to press a series of kisses up her neck to her earlobe, all the while still thrusting in and out. Pressing down on her body causes Lauren to writhe underneath her. She's turned on so much, and she impulsively whispers into Lauren's ear, "would you like it if," she pauses, grunting at the pleasure of humping against the back of her hand, "if I said those things like before, to you?" She hardly gets it out, now with the delicious feeling of Lauren's nails on her back, even through her shirt.

Lauren just barely gasps out a "fuck, yes." She's pretty sure anything Amy would say right now would be hot anyway.

Amy just says the first thing that comes to her mind. "I love fucking you. The way it feels to be inside you." Lauren reacts so well with a loud moan. 

"Harder," she pleads. She thrust a little harder with her hips into her hand in Lauren's for a little extra leverage, and Lauren breaks out as if in a chorus, "God yes. Amy. Baby. Don't stop. 

She's probably wetter than before, and she's definitely going to come again against her own hand buried inside of Lauren. 

"This is what you want?" She grounds out while thrusting, humping. Lauren's sounds are starting to reach a crescendo, and Amy momentarily worries about how loud they're being, but she can still hear the bass upstairs and knows there's no way anyone could hear them over the music.

"I'm close, so close."

"Yea?" She doubles her efforts, feeling her own pressure build, and it has her pounding into the other girl hoping to push her over the edge before she finishes first. "I think you could take another, can't you, baby?" She pants in Lauren's ear, and her response is immediate.

"Mmm, yes," Lauren hisses out between moans, "anything you want." _Anything?_ Amy's mind swirls around the world._ Definitely need to explore that later._ She barely gives Lauren time to adjust before adding a finger and Lauren all but yells, and she feels that delicious stretch around them.

"That's it. Take it. Ah!" Her thrusts loose rhythm when she feels herself lost in the first feelings of an orgasm. She curls those fingers inside Lauren, and then she's coming with a shout. She feels Lauren's walls tighten inside as she keeps her hips flush against her hand, and Lauren's center still pushing a little against her. 

When she finally hears Lauren's breathing slow, she flexes her fingers inside before pulling them out and finds she loves the little gasp that it earns her. She moves from Lauren's neck to plant a soft but lingering kiss to her lips, "that was, so good." Amy catches Lauren's eyes to see her reaction, and Lauren nods, pulling her back in for another kiss.

"Is it going to be better every time?" The statement has Amy grinning down at her. Suddenly, there was a crash upstairs and a chorus of shouting above them. "Oh my god, I think I left my body for a minute, I completely forgot where we were." There are more crashes and more shouts.

"We should probably…" Amy lets her words die off because the last thing she wants to do is leave and go back to reality. The reality where she and Lauren are (not?) step-sisters, Karma, and everyone else doesn't get it, and they're… something? "Lauren, can we? Are we?" Her heart is hammering against her ribcage, and she risks a look to her face. "Something?" she finishes lamely. 

But Lauren just nods before leaning in and pressing a kiss to her lips, "something," she repeats. 

They get up, and despite everything, Amy is a little in awe and embarrassed at how disheveled they look. Even after pulling her skirt back down and smoothing it out, there is no question it's spent the better part of an hour rucked up. And the _hair,_ it's a dead giveaway for sex hair. Amy placates Lauren by reminding her the house is dark, and all they have to do is find Pablo and Amy, tell them they're leaving, and then beat her mom home. 

On the stairs, Lauren reaches out from behind her on the stairs and laces the fingers together. Amy turns back, a small smile on her face. But once they open the door, they're met with a bustle of commotion. There are shouts, and people are wildly grabbing their things and leaving in groups. She sees Karma across the room, thankfully with Felix, she notes. When she's closer, she notices Karma's eyes more red and puffy than when she'd left, and a wave of guilt hits her. She'd abandoned her best friend _again._ Then she's talking hurriedly at her, and it takes a minute to sort out what she's saying over the noise. "Slow down, why's everyone leaving?" 

Karma starts, then Amy sees the way her head tilts, and the way she takes Amy in, giving her a solid once over before a look somewhere in between shock and almost smugness comes over her face. Her eyes zero in on their hands holding one another, and it takes Lauren interfering to get her back on track. "Ashcroft! What the fuck is going on?"

"Right, uh. Lickable Abs found Shane and Pablo together and threatened to call the cops on the party so everyone's ditching. Come on, we can head out the back." She hears Lauren whisper a hushed, "fucking Shane Harvey!" But lets herself be dragged along behind Karma and Felix. 

On the ride back, she almost expects Lauren to shrink back, to look away, but she doesn't. She doesn't once let go of her hand, the whole way ride home and even inside the house. She only lets go in the hallway in between their doors, and only after they've kissed long and hard once more before going to their beds. 

Things changed between them that night. 

Amy lays in her bed, staring at her stars, dimmer than usual. But she thinks about how they're still there, even so dim you can't see them. She thinks about how her lips still tingle, even without the pressure on them. Things start to make a little more sense when she thinks about it that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos go out to my wife, for all the times I complained that I should give up on the fandom/story, but she was the one who reminded me that I didn't write for kudos, comments, etc. But just because I loved the story and to write. 
> 
> follow me at:  
isitgayinhere-orisitjustme.tumblr  
for updates or simply to be bored to death. :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're happy, but what happens to their bubble of happiness when it's shown to the rest of the world?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this story! Sometimes, I feel silly focusing on it so much when I have others to work on. But I just love this little story. I find it so easy and fun to write them.

Things change after that. They spend more intimate time together, there were many more soft moments and even more talking and laughing. Amy was getting to know Lauren in a way she hadn’t thought possible. And Lauren was finding Amy more irresistible by the day.

They spent more time in each other’s beds than separately, but they were always careful. Waiting until long after Farrah had gone to bed, and always scooted back to their respective beds in the early hours of the morning, purposefully setting their alarms earlier than needed. Amy had never been so punctual in her life.

Amy’s favorite nights were those when her mom stayed away all night for work, and she and Lauren didn’t have to worry about being discovered at all. The first time it happened after the night of the party was also the first night, they took the time undressing each other and laid completely bare together. In their frantic few hookups, they’d been so worried about being discovered or needing to disappear quickly that they hadn’t had a chance.

Amy had been sitting in her bed beside Lauren, their thighs side by side. Lauren was making fun of Glee on Amy’s queue on Netflix, who then proceeded to say that Lauren was simply jealous of Brittany’s dancing skills, who replied with a “take it back,” all while arming herself with a pillow.

“Oh, why don’t you make me.” Lauren’s grip on her pillow falters, and instead, she gets a look on her face that Amy’s gotten to know very well, and a feeling in her stomach drops well before Lauren’s swung a leg over and straddled her lap. She catches Amy’s lips in a fierce kiss and tangling her hands in her hair, which she was figuring out, was one of her favorite things to do. When she felt Amy’s tongue swiping her bottom lip and her grip on Lauren’s hips tighten, she began rolling them softly. Amy wastes no time in grabbing the bottom hem of her shirt and breaking the kiss long enough to hush out “take this off.”

“What is it?” Amy asked, noticing Lauren had paused. She watched as Lauren chewed her lip, shook her head, and looked away shyly. “Come on, tell me?” Amy asked, letting her fingers trail up her sides.

Lauren leans forward, pressing her face into Amy’s neck, and in barely more than a whisper, she admits, “I like it when you tell me what to do.” She doesn’t catch Amy’s wide-eyed expression, but she recovers before Lauren can notice.

“Lauren Cooper, I have to say I didn’t see that coming.” She’s definitely learning _a lot_ about Lauren. She takes the opportunity to let her fingers trail back down to slip her hands into the band of her shorts to tug down.

Lauren presses a kiss to the column of her throat before continuing, “it’s like I order people around all day long, it’s nice to be told what to do every once and a while,” she places another kiss, “by you anyway,” she adds on thoughtfully.

_Very interesting development. _Amy thinks to herself. “Then undress for me.” She says to Lauren. She almost instinctually adds on a please, but instead, she sees Lauren’s eyes darken and hurriedly pulls her shirt above her head. When she’s tossed it on the floor and goes in to kiss Amy, but she cuts her off. “Bra too.” She means to say it a tad more commanding, but she’s too turned on, and it comes out just as breathless as ever. Lauren doesn’t seem to mind, just reaches around to unhook it and letting fall from her breasts. 

Now, Amy knows she’s gay, has known confidently for a while, but damn if she isn’t reminded full force when she has Lauren topless in her lap. She snatches the bra between them before diving into all but ravage the girl she feels so lucky to have on her. Lauren, who has had high, impenetrable walls, who’s here baring herself to her, for her, not only physical but intimately too. Sharing secrets, desires. Lauren pulls back to allow space just to reach down and roughly pull her shirt above her head. She takes advantage of the pause to confess her thoughts, “Lauren, I want to know everything about you.”

Lauren’s already kissing her the second the sentence is out but pulls back to mutter against her lips, “anything.”

There’s that word again, _anything._ It has her head buzzing, even with Lauren’s fingers on her back, and then she’s topless too. The next few moments are a flurry of motions, undressing and they’re together, bare, tangled in one another.

Lauren hums happily into her mouth when they’re finally naked, with Lauren laying fully on top of her. Amy loves the way her weight rest completely on her and the way their legs slot together automatically. “You turn me on so much. You wouldn’t believe how much I want you,” Lauren whispers into her lips.

“Oh, believe me, I do.” In one motion, Amy rolls them, grasping one of Lauren’s thighs roughly and hiking it up so she can press their dripping cores together. Lauren gasps loudly when she does it. “I know you do because you’re so fucking wet.” She’s learned now that if she _really _wants a reaction, she puts words to her actions.  
“God, I am.”

“And I want you too. Feel how wet you make me to?” She experimentally rubs them together with a little more pressure and then she happens to rub their clits together.

“Fuck, yes. Do that again.” She can’t deny her at the way Lauren immediately arches off the bed. She repeats the action, and it has Lauren sharing a filthy sound she’s never heard her make before. Amy watches as Lauren raises her hand and twist in her own hair. Now she loves it when Lauren has her hands in her hair, nails scratching at her scalp, but this. Witnessing Lauren lose herself is her new favorite thing.

That’s the way they finish, pressed against each other with hands tangled in hair panting in each other’s mouths. With Lauren making wild, lewd sounds begging Amy not to stop. And with Amy letting her mouth run wild the way she knows Lauren likes. “Ah, yes. You like that? Me on you this way? _Fuck, _Lauren. I’m gonna come.”  
She’s so driven by desire, she doesn’t think about the babble, only what she feels and how Lauren reacts to it writhing underneath her.  
“Yes, please! Do it.” Lauren’s just beginning to tumble over the edge and wants desperately for Amy to tumble with her.

“Feels so good,” Amy pants already starting to feel like she’s losing it, “want to come on you so bad. Wish I could inside. _Yes.”_ She hisses the last word, already coming as hard as she had expected too.

When her body stops spasming above Lauren, she lets herself fall softly on top of Lauren, chest heaving, and still breathing a little hard.

After a minute, she slides to her side and wraps her arms around the smaller girl. For years she and Karma had cuddles together and had gotten used to Karma’s slightly more voluptuous figure. Lauren feels so small and petite in her arms, like something to be protected.  
“This is nice,” she whispers into Lauren’s hair.

The other girl makes a sleepy sound of acknowledgment before responding, “would’ve been nicer in your bed.”

“Oh, yeah?” Amy asks, surprised.

Lauren makes a sound that reveals how close to sleep she really is, “I like the stars.” It’s so mumbled she almost doesn’t catch it.  
She does, though, and it has her smiling into Lauren’s hair as they fall asleep.

\--------------------------------------------------------  
The next morning at breakfast, they exchange small smiles around the table. Farrah is absorbed in the newspaper, muttering about the progressive movements of the country and somehow manages to relate it to beauty pageants. “Oh lordy, look at the time. Girls, ya’ll have a good day at school. Remember, no snacking, momma’s making a meatloaf tonight!”

Amy smiles a real, genuine smile at her mom because, in this moment, she feels like a family. And yea, her mom’s version of their little family she sure differs a lot from how her version lies. But still, she appreciates the moment.

Even on the car ride to school, Lauren’s fingers laced with her own in her lap, she still smiles. “What’s gotten into you, huh?”

“I’m happy,” she says quietly.

She glances over, but Lauren’s smile mirrors her own. “Me too,” her gaze flicks out the window and then back to her face briefly in that way that tells Amy something is on her mind. More and more lately, she’s been able to read Lauren like an open book. “Penny for your thoughts? Hell, for you? A nickel?”

“Dork,” Lauren chuckles. “But, um, actually. I thought it was time we came out? As a couple, I mean?”

“Really? You’re ready for that?

Lauren just nods back, pulling into the school parking lot now. “I do have a question, though. What about our parents?”

Amy feels her pulse speed up in a panic at that but tries to quell that feeling. “W- what do you think?”

Lauren just shifts the car into park and turns the ignition leaning calmly on a hand propped on the driver’s side door. Barley looking over she says, “let’s wait. Tell our friends. Take our time. Stay happy together.” She raises their hands and places a soft, quick kiss to a knuckle. She feels a rush of feelings at the small gesture.

\-------------------------------------------------------------  
She’s poking at a mysterious shade of meat in the lunchroom when she hears Karma. “Soooooo, according to the school’s tumblr, our most eligible lesbian is off the market huh?”

Amy rolls her eyes and ignores the reeling inside her the statement provokes. She makes a noncommittal sound, and Karma just laughs.  
Then Shane swarms, “oh my god, I knew it! Tell me, Who’s the top?!” He actually claps, really claps as he asked.

Amy just wrinkles her nose and shakes her head. “That is such a stereoty..”

“Please,” Karma interrupts, “we both know its”

“Not fucking talking about it,” Amy states seriously and a little too loudly than needed.

_“Okay, okay.”_

Shane makes a threating “tsk” sound.

Karma coughs to get her attention, and she sees Lauren stalking up to the table like she owns the damn thing and everything around it. “Can’t believe the leading elective for next year’s class schedule is recycled compost,” she huffs before dropping a salad on the table without looking up to the group once when she starts eating while simultaneously checking emails. She seems to catch the somewhat awkward silence and lifts her eyes, “what the fuck is everyone’s problem?”

Amy chimes in immediately, “ya know I choose environmental crisis, I mean really, the consequences of overfishing….”

“Oh my god Amy, that was rhetorical,” she says exasperated, and while old Amy would have a snide comment, the new one smiles at her and takes the chance to poke her in the side.

“I know.” Lauren smiles sideways at her, and the entire table takes a moment to try and conceal their bewildered expressions.

Much later, that night, they’re both brushing their teeth in the shared bathroom. After Lauren is applying her nighttime lotion and Amy is poking around on faint blemishes on her face. “Lauren says to the reflection of Amy in the mirror, “we should go on a date.” Amy just stares back at Lauren’s reflection.

“A date?” Amy just repeats back at Lauren’s reflection.

“Well, we’ve done all of this. Why not? We’re both free tomorrow night.” When Amy lets her gaze flicker from the mirror to her in person, she falters. “If you want to?”

Amy smiles_ that_ smile. The one that makes Lauren weak in her knees. “That would be really nice,” Amy says. “What do you want to do for this date?”

Lauren tilts her head, “surprise me.” That and with a smirk, she’s gone back to her room.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------  
The next night she and Lauren head out to an undisclosed location with Amy behind the wheel. Upon arriving, they see women and men in huge extravagant dresses. Complete with an entertainment area with a runway and judges. “What exactly is this?” Lauren asks.

“It’s an Anti-pageant Show,” Amy answers confidently.

“And what is that?” Lauren questions back.

“It’s a show, a parody really about all that is pageants, generally.” She finishes a bit flustered, worried that she took the date in the wrong direction. But then Lauren cracks a smile and then laughs. She wild open laughs like she hasn’t in years.

They laugh and laugh together, with Lauren explaining the jokes she misses. She grabs drinks for them both and keeps her arm on the chair behind Lauren, letting her fingertips graze her shoulder barely. When they’re in the car on the way back home, Lauren grabs her face and makes out with her like her life depends on it.

When they’re finally home, she sees Farrah’s SUV in the drive but goes to Lauren’s room anyway, there’s no way she’d come up before morning. They undress each other deftly. Amy has favorite moments, moments like when she licks from her jaw to her earlobe or when Lauren gasps when her panties are finally off. It’s a long night of fun exploration.

They’re finally caught the next morning.  
\------------------------------------------------  
It had never occurred to Amy that her mom would knock on Lauren’s door in the mornings before her own, of course, Lauren would already be up on her morning workouts before Amy had even pressed her first snooze.

Farrah raps on the door twice before flinging it open, expecting to find Lauren on a peloton. She instead finds both girls on the bed clearly naked from at least the waist up, Lauren tucked in firmly to Amy’s front with arms wrapped close around her.

Amy’s eyes flutter open just seconds before Lauren’s. “Mom?” her sleepy mind says without question.

Her reply is a question, “girls?” But her face and hitch in breath betray her reaction. “I’ll see you downstairs,” the statement is deadpan before she just shuts the door.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

Amy was breathing hard and could feel her heartbeat in her chest. Lauren seemed to be frozen in place. “Please tell me I’m dreaming, and that did not just happen.” Lauren didn’t reply. “What are we going to do?” Still nothing. “Lauren, please say something.” Her voice breaks, and it snaps something inside of Lauren.

“Oh my god.” She sounds broken as she sits up to only put her head in her hands. Amy sees her shoulders shake, and it makes her heart lurch.

“It’s going to be okay. I’m going to talk to her.” She says it for Lauren’s sake because she absolutely doesn’t feel it. Lauren just nods, doesn’t look up, doesn’t move. Amy pulls on a shirt and shorts and makes her way downstairs on shaky legs.

Her mom’s at the counter. There’s no breakfast made, not even coffee and weirdly, that makes the situation seem much graver. “Mom?”

“When did it start?” Farrah asks suddenly, staring down at her hands and twisting a ring idly around a finger.

“Please try to understand.” She knows she doesn’t, though at the way Farrah’s eyebrows just raise, and she doesn’t look at her.

“How long.” The way she says it, it doesn’t even sound like a question.

“A few weeks.”

“Who started it?” Amy knows what she’s implying, that she, the predatorial lesbian, lured the innocent Lauren into this situation.  
“It’s not like that. I care about her.” She hates the way she sounds, pleading.

“Amy!” Her raised voice catches her off guard. Whatever the rest of her statement was is cut off. “Why didn’t you come to me? You had to know. At some point, you had to question the…the ethics of this. Of starting something like this with your _step-sister_ for god’s sake!”

She swallows past a lump in her throat to grit out a response. “We are not step-sisters, mom.”

“You _were.”_

“It doesn’t matter!” She yells back. Her mom stands up at the counter then and stalks until she’s in front of her. For one wild moment, Amy thinks the woman might actually slap her.

“Yes, it _does._ Because you were living here in this house together, as sisters. Having dinner with your mother and her father like sisters.” 

This. This is precisely what she’d feared. That even though she was happy, they were doing something wrong. Something gross, and this is how people would react. She feels tears well in her eyes, and she just searches her mother’s face, opening and closing her mouth, but she can’t think of anything to say.

Farrah lets out a deep sigh and rubs her temples. “I’ll have to call Bruce.”

“No!” Her mom gives her a sharp look. “It’s just, look coming out is hard to do anyway. _Please,_ let Lauren do this on her own when she’s ready.”

“You think I would not tell him that our daughters are doing this? You have lost your mind. Now go get ready for school. Come back right after, and we’ll talk then. Tell Lauren.” With that, she grabs her purse and leaves her there, standing in the kitchen alone.

When she gets back upstairs, Lauren is dressed sitting on the bed. Amy stands in the doorway, leaning against the frame. She can tell from Lauren’s eyes that she’s been crying, hard. “She said,” she starts quietly, but Lauren cuts her off.

“I know. I was listening.”

“Lauren, I’m so sorry.” Amy feels the tears sting her eyes and is surprised to found that she still hasn’t honestly cried yet. She tries to blink them away because if she manages it, it’ll feel like a small victory. Lauren is in front of her then, taking her hands in hers.

“Thank you.”

Amy’s brows wrinkled in confusion. “For what? This is all my fault. If I hadn’t written anything about it in that stupid fucking journal you, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“For sticking up for me. And besides if everything hadn't happened, we wouldn’t be this.” Lauren replies, glancing down to their interlaced fingers. “Would you wish this away?” Her voice is soft because she knows what Amy’s response will be.

“Of course not. But now, with our parents knowing. What’s going to happen? What is she sends me off to like military school or something?”

Lauren _almost_ laughs. In another situation, she might have. “Chill Cadet Kelly. I know my dad, after some time, he might be okay. And even if they do, we only have one year till college, and we’ll be in charge of our own lives then.”

It makes Amy smile. This shit is a fucking mess, but Lauren is here telling her that she’d willingly wait a whole year for _her._ “I love you.” She whispers impulsively, and she sees Lauren's still red eyes widen.

There’s a beat of three solid seconds, but then Lauren's holds the side of her face and says I love you back before kissing her. It’s so relieving to know this after what’s happened, and it has her daring for happiness again.

“Let’s skip today,” Amy says when Lauren releases her lips. Lauren sighs and kisses her once more. 

“As much as I would absolutely love too, I think we should play it safe. Plus, when they call Farrah, and she assumes we stayed here all day and…” She just lifts her eyebrows. “So, let’s go. Do what we have to and come back to face the shitty music.”’

“Okay. Let’s do this.”  
\-----------------------------------  
The day passes as slowly as she expected it, every minute passing counting down to when they’ll have to “face the music.” After school, she waits for Lauren, and she tells Karma the whole story and bless her, she listens attentively. Holds her hand while she almost cries.   
“And then I told Lauren I loved her.” Karma’s mouth falls open.

“You did!”

“Yea and she said it back to.” Amy smiles.

“I am happy about that, but what now?”

“I have no idea. Maybe mom will ship me off to military school. Think I could pull off full camo? I mean the occasional print, sure. But like a whole.”

“Amy! How can you just joke about this?” Karma looks pained, way more than Amy had expected.

“Because it’s worst case, Karms. And Lauren said we could make it.”

“But what about me? God, one summer apart, and I cried every day.”

_Shit. _In everything she’d been processing. Her new relationship. The shitstorm that was going to happen this afternoon, she had not even gotten around to Karma’s place in all of it.

“Karma, it won’t happen. It’s worst case, like a two percent chance. Besides, Lauren said her dad will help defuse the situation.”

“But what if?”

“Karma. Please, I’m already freaking out. Okay?”

Karma grabs her hand again and lays her head on her shoulder. She mutters an okay into her shoulder.

She sees Lauren well before she’s gotten to them, she’d become a pro at picking out the tiny blonde in crowds since back at school.  
When she’s in front of them, Amy can feel the waves of apprehension rolling off of her. Though, when she says “ready,” she sounds sure. Like going into battle, classic Lauren Cooper style.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” She looks at Karma once before heading back to the car.

The drive is silent, both too nervous to try a conversation. When they get home, Bruce’s car is parked beside her mom’s, and her stomach drops. There had been a small part of her that had hoped at the last second her mom wouldn’t do it. Inside, Farrah and Bruce are at the kitchen table with half empty, watered down glasses of sweet tea. The evidence shows they’ve been talking for a while. “Girls! Come sit in here a bit.” Bruce calls them in, but there’s no malice in his tone. “Showpony, beautiful as always.”

“Thanks, dad. I missed you.” He wraps her in a hug, and Amy feels awkward standing to the side.

“Now, it seems we’ve got a situation here to discuss.” Here it goes, Amy thinks to herself. “Ya’ll take a seat.” Bruce taps the table casually. “You know when we found out that Lauren was intersex, well, it took me a while. You know to wrap my head around it, to understand.” He looks at each of their faces and then to Farrah, who clears her throat.

“I think I may have…overreacted this morning.” Amy’s world tilts on its axis. “I called Bruce, and we had a long chat. And then I called Dr. Ross. Just for some clarity.”

Bruce cuts back in, “if we had known about this, we would not have been supportive. And not because you’re gay or whatever, but because you’re our kids. We wouldn’t have let Tommy stay over or Reagan when ya’ll were together, and this is no different. Ya’ll are together, right?” Amy sucks in a breath when Lauren looks over at her and just nods back at her dad.

He hums thoughtfully, still lightly tapping the table. He looks over at Farrah, and some silent agreement goes on between them. “Well, obviously Lauren can’t live here anymore.”

Her’s and Lauren’s, “what!” and “dad!” are simultaneous. He just holds up a hand to silence them before continuing.

“I know it’s important to finish at Hester. So, I got you a condo here in town. It’s nice, you’ll like it. Sweetheart, you’ve got to understand. You’re too young to live with someone you’re in a relationship with. I think we can agree that this is acceptable.” He takes a sip from his sweet tea.

“Okay,” Lauren speaks first.

“What do you mean, okay?” Amy feels cheated somehow, that Lauren would agree to this.

“Well, alright. It’s already furnished, just go pack you a bag, and we’ll get the rest of your stuff this weekend.” He gives the table one last rap.

“Wait, she’s leaving _tonight?”_ Amy says incredulously. “Come on! This is some overreacting bullsh..”

“Can we have a minute to talk? Then I’ll go pack that bag.” She all but tugs Amy out of earshot and up the stairs.

Once in Lauren’s room (about to not be), she thinks. Amy whirls on her, “why are you agreeing to this? Don’t you want to stay here?”

“Babe. She reaches for Amy, who lets her hand cradle her face. “Of course, I want to, but see this as an opportunity.” Amy kisses a finger that Lauren grazes over her bottom lip. “This is a chance for us to be a real couple. Like, pick me up at eight_ real couple. _And Karma can make herself useful and cover for you, while instead, you’re at my new place. Where we will, for once, have complete privacy. All. Night. Long.”

Amy sucks in a breath, “you are so fucking right. Why didn’t I think of that!” Lauren chuckles and kisses her. “I’m going to miss you, though, not being across the hall.”

“I know I’ll miss it too. But I think it’ll be okay. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

_A real couple. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have at least one more chapter to write that could tie this up. Let me know what you think. 
> 
> follow me at:  
isitgayinhere-orisitjustme.tumblr


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